Unlikely friends
by A chance to fly
Summary: When sharing the same secret, even the most different kinds of persons can become friends… How will this new development effect the lives of Misaki and Shinobu? And how does Todou feel about it? Pairings: MisakiXAkihiko, ShinobuXMiyagi and HirokiXNowaki.
1. Clothes, cars and suspicious comments

**A/N: Hi there! This story finally has an author's note. For the ones who've read it before I added this, the website wasn't working very well yesterday and neither was my internet connection. I was surprised that the story even got posted! Anyway, this is my second Junjou Romantica story and I really hope you'll enjoy it. Chapter 2 is in the making, so hopefully I'll be able to post it this weekend. I'll try my best! In the meantime, enjoy the story and please let me know what you think!**

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><p>Green or blue?<p>

Misaki stared into the mirror. The shirt was a perfect fit and, not unimportant if you were a college student, the price was acceptable as well. The only problem was trying to choose between the different colours.

_What would Usagi-san like?_

The question seemed to pop up in his head out of nowhere, and Misaki's reflection made it hard to ignore the fact that his cheeks were on fire. It was even worse that he knew the answer. Not so long ago, he'd asked Usagi-san what his favourite colour was. He couldn't remember what had brought the question up, but Usagi-san's answer had echoed around in his head for days after that. He could still recall the conversation perfectly.

"_My favourite colour is green, of course."_

_When Misaki looked at him questioningly, he added:_

"_Misaki's eyes are such a beautiful green. That's why I not only fell in love with you, but also with that colour."  
><em>

If possible, his cheeks became even more scarlet. This was really getting pathetic. He was just trying on some shirts. In a store. Alone. There was no need to get all flustered just because of a memory.

Frustrated, he put the shirts back on their hangers and opened the curtain.

"Finally! I was beginning to think you had starting living in there!"

A not-so-happy looking boy was waiting outside the fitting room. He was around Misaki's age, maybe a bit younger, with dirty-blond hair and grey eyes. His clothes looked expensive, and Misaki wondered why someone who obviously had a lot of money would come to this shop.

"Well, are you going to stand there all day?" The boy sent him another angry glare and then yelled over his shoulder: "Miyagi! You can use the fitting room now!"

Misaki, who was still standing with the curtain in one hand, felt really uncomfortable. If he hadn't let himself become distracted, he wouldn't have occupied the room for so long. He felt his face, which had just cooled down, heat up again.

"Erm, I'm really sorry…I was trying to figure out which colour was better and I kind of lost track of time…I'm really sorry to have bothered you."

He'd turned his gaze to the ground while speaking, but looked up when a new voice joined the conversation.

"Nah, it's okay, Shinobu-chin here is just a little impatient."

The speaker was a tall man with dark hair, probably somewhere in his thirties. While talking, he ruffled the boy's hair, which made the latter look even more pissed.

"Oi Miyagi, stop treating me like a kid!"

The older man laughed at the comment and withdrew his hand.

"But you _are _a kid, Shinobu-_chin_."

Misaki just stood there, looking back and forth between the two. Strangely, they reminded him of Usagi-san and himself. Could it be… He shook it out of his head before it could become a real thought. There was no way, not everyone was like that. Plus these two had a huge age gap.

"Do I need to remind you of yesterday? I'm sure you didn't see me as a kid _then_, old man."

Miyagi´s eyes widened.

"Shinobu..."

The boy huffed and averted his gaze.

"Yeah, yeah, I know…Go try on those clothes, I'll be in the book store next door."

Shinobu turned and strolled toward the exit, followed by two pairs of eyes.

"Shinobu!" Miyagi called after him, but the boy didn't react. The man sighed and turned back to Misaki.

"I'm sorry about that, he's kind of impossible…Sometimes I don't know what I'm doing with him."

The last part seemed to be muttered to himself, but Misaki heard it anyway. He told himself not to see things, but at the same time he couldn't help but find the situation…suspicious. What would a thirty-somewhat year old man go shopping for with a boy from Misaki's age? Unless they were family...But for some reason, he didn't think that was the case. Plus…what was with that conversation just now?

"Erm…Well, I'll go now," Misaki muttered uncomfortably. He took a few steps forward to let the man enter the fitting room.

"Ah…yes, I should probably try these on," Miyagi responded, gesturing toward the clothes he was holding. He entered the room, but before closing the curtain, he turned to Misaki again.

"By the way, you should definitely buy the green one."

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><p>Shinobu exited the shop, but instead of going into the next door book store, he walked toward a nearby bench. Before sitting down, he angrily dropped his bag on the ground, scaring away a little girl who was already sitting on the other end of the bench. A woman, probably the mother, glared at him, but he really didn't care about that. Stupid Miyagi! Always treating him like a little kid, going on and on with his 'Shinobu-chin, Shinobu-chin' even when they were alone. Couldn't he just call him only by his name, like lovers were supposed to do? Okay, so he didn't even call Miyagi by his first name, but that was because he knew the other man wouldn't like it.<p>

Shinobu let out a long sigh. He knew he shouldn't have said what he did in the shop. It was a public place, and that kid – who took _forever_ to try on some shirts by the way – was listening in on the conversation. Shinobu understood that they needed to keep it a secret, for the sake of both their reputations. Although he couldn't care less about his own 'reputation', it was important to Miyagi, so he went along with it. Plus, well…he understood Miyagi's other fear. Shinobu was pretty sure his father wasn't going to like it if he found out about their relationship. It would probably result in Miyagi losing his job – if not worse.

He tried to push these thoughts away to a dark and dusty corner of his mind. This was his day with Miyagi, damn it! He would wait for his lover to come out of the shop, and then they would have lunch together. After that…Shinobu felt his face heat up when he thought about what they would do when they were back in Miyagi's apartment.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone exiting the shop. At first he didn't pay much attention to it. Miyagi would need a little longer to try on the clothes, so it couldn't be him. Then he noticed that it was the boy from earlier. He was talking to someone on the phone and it appeared to be quite a heated argument. The boy looked really aggravated, which surprised Shinobu – just now, he had been stuttering the whole time, hadn't he?

The object of his observations didn't notice him staring at first. Only after he'd ended the conversation and put the phone back into his pocket, he looked up and saw Shinobu sitting on the bench. The surprised look on his face made him seem even younger and even more innocent than he probably already was. Shinobu wondered how old this guy was. He hoped for him that he wasn't working yet, because he looked like the type that would get eaten alive.

To his horror, the guy started walking toward him. That wasn't supposed to happen! Miyagi would come out of the shop soon and then they would spend their precious time together. There was no place for some random guy in that! Shinobu tried to give off an 'I _really_ don't want to talk'-air, but it was futile.

The boy stopped before him and nervously started playing with the hem of his coat.

"H-hey…erm…I was wondering…could I sit here maybe? Because someone's picking me up, but I have to wait a few minutes and…"

The glare Shinobu sent his way made him break of his sentence. God, this guy really was a softie. Shinobu wondered who had been on the other end of the line, and if he should respect that person for making this guy get mad, or pity them.

Ah well, it wouldn't hurt to let him sit down, would it? Miyagi could come out of the shop any minute now, and they wouldn't even have to talk. Plus he couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him.

With a shrug of his shoulders, he answered: "Sure, go ahead." He was rewarded with a little smile.

After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, the other boy was the first to open his mouth.

"So erm…I was wondering, that man…is he family?"

Shinobu felt himself stiffen. That was a dangerous question. Determined not to let anything show, he snarled: "None of your fucking business."

Green eyes widened. The boy looked really taken aback. Served him right, for asking such a personal question when they were complete strangers.

It looked like he was going to say something back, probably apologize again, but at that moment, a huge red sports car drove down the street and stopped before the clothes store. A tall, handsome man, dressed in expensive looking clothes, came out of it. He looked around for a moment, then apparently found what he was looking for, and came walking toward their bench.

Shinobu was just asking himself why everyone came to disrupt his peace today, when it hit him. That guy sitting next to him was waiting for a drive. But this couldn't… He turned his head to the side and noticed his neighbour fidgeting and playing with the hem of his jacket again. _Oh._ Apparently, it could.

The newcomer was now standing before him and Shinobu took his time to examine him. He was definitely handsome, with silvery hair, delicate features and very unusual, violet-coloured eyes. Shinobu had the strange feeling that he had seen him somewhere before…Though that would be weird, because this was someone you wouldn't forget very easily.

"Misaki."

His voice was nice too, low and strong. Not as beautiful as Miyagi's, but definitely nice to listen to.

The boy next to him – whose name was Misaki, apparently – grabbed his bag and jumped up.

"Y-yes! I'm ready! Let's go, Usagi-san!" He tugged on the man's sleeve impatiently, but the latter didn't move. Instead, he turned his gaze to Shinobu.

"…Who's this?"

Misaki looked surprised.

"Oh! Ah…this is someone I just met…sort of. He shared his bench with me, that's all. It's no big deal, really!"

Shinobu wondered why he seemed so nervous. Of course it wasn't a big deal, so why pay so much attention to it?

"However…thank you, erm…"

He really didn't want to give his name, but staying silent would be too rude.

"Takatsuki…Shinobu."

"Ah…Thank you very much, Takatsuki-kun!" Misaki flashed a bright smile at him, then turned to the older man again.

"Can we go now, Usagi-san? I've got to make lunch and it's quite late already…"

The man looked at the boy tugging on his sleeve, and Shinobu noticed an affectionate smile creeping on his face.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, I've been hungry for a while now and I can't wait to have you home."

To Shinobu's surprise, Misaki turned bright red.

The man chuckled and ruffled his hair. Then he turned to Shinobu, gave him a little nod, and headed toward the car, followed by Misaki.

Miyagi exited the shop just when the car drove away. While he was staring after it in awe, Shinobu walked up to him.

"Hey, old man."

"Shinobu!" a surprised Miyagi cried. "Weren't you in the book store?"

He shrugged his shoulders.

"Nah, didn't feel like it."

"You're not still mad, are you?"

Shinobu shook his head. To be honest, he'd already forgotten about the argument. There was something else occupying his thoughts now.

"You'll never guess who was in that car."

Miyagi looked at him questioningly.

"That kid from the store just now."

"Eh? Seriously? He didn't look like he was very rich."

"Yeah, I know. Someone picked him up, though, so it's still possible that he's just an ordinary guy."

While their conversation turned to other subjects, such as what they were going to do for the rest of the day, Shinobu couldn't help but keep thinking about Misaki and the familiar-looking man. How come such a simple guy got picked up by an obviously rich man? They looked very different, too. And what kind of name was 'Usagi-san'?

He thought about the look 'Usagi-san' had on his face while looking at the younger man, and how Misaki's face had turned red. Then, Misaki's question from earlier sprang to his mind.

_I was wondering, that man…is he family?_

'No, we're not family, Misaki,' Shinobu thought. 'But neither are you and that man.'

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><p><strong>Chapter 2 spoilers (couldn't help myself): Misaki doesn't even make it into the kitchen and Todou makes his appearance in the story ;D<strong>


	2. Ruined lunch and a revelation

**A/N: Here's chapter 2! I'm really sorry it took me this long. I had planned to update last weekend, but that didn't work out, unfortunately. Also, Todou doesn't appear yet, because things turned out a bit differently than I had expected in this chapter. But I promise he'll be there right from the start of the next chapter! On the bright side, this chapter is (slightly) longer than the last one. Hurray! Thank you all so much for the reviews/favorites/follows, they make me really happy! And a special thanks to JMarieAllenPoe for giving some useful tips. :D I hope you'll all enjoy this chapter!**

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><p>Misaki didn't even make it into the kitchen. The moment he'd entered the apartment, the door was closed and he was shoved against it.<p>

"U-usagi-san…Now's not a good time, I've got to make lunch…"

The man smirked, violet eyes sparkling.

"So you're saying it's okay _after_ lunch?"

The comment made Misaki flush. He struggled to get out of Usagi-san's grip, but the author was too strong.

"Baka-Usagi!"

"You know, I offered you a choice. But, seeing as you won't reply _and _insulted me, I guess I'll just have my way with you now…"

Misaki's eyes widened. Damn it, why did this man always have an answer ready? Again, he unsuccessfully tried to free himself.

"N-no! It's way too early to be doing such things! I really need to prepare some food, so please-"

He stopped when he felt a cold, familiar hand sliding under his T-shirt.

"A-ah…Usagi-san!"

He was turned around, so that his back was facing Usagi-san, and then the hand started travelling up and down, leaving burning traces all over his chest. The sensation of the mix between cold and hot was addictive, and just so like Usagi-san. Misaki had to admit to himself that he loved the feeling. Wait – no! He couldn't let himself get used to this!

"Misaki…"

Misaki felt his face heat up, and became even more flushed when another hand came into action and started fumbling with his belt. He knew where this was heading. While he was still having a mental debate about whether or not he should try to stop Usagi-san one more time, he sensed a familiar buzzing feeling.

"U-usagi-san…my phone…'

The novelist had managed to undo his belt with one hand and was now busy working on the button of his jeans.

"Who cares?"

He should probably be already used to it, but Misaki still felt a slight pang of irritation.

"It's my phone, of course I care! I've got a life, you know!"

Because his back was turned to Usagi-san, he couldn't see his face, but he just knew the man was raising his eyebrows. He also had a pretty good idea of what was coming next.

"Oh? What could possibly be more important in your life than _me_?"

"B-baka! I've got friends who might need me or want to see me!"

Usagi-san suddenly pulled his hand back. Surprised, Misaki tried to turn around, but before he could, two strong arms were firmly wrapped around him and he was pulled close to Usagi-san's chest.

"So you're saying you'd rather hang out with friends than spent some quality time with your lover?"

Misaki's face got even more heated and he felt like his heart could burst out of his chest any minute now. How was it possible that this man could make him feel this way with just one sentence? It seriously scared him.

"How the hell is this supposed to be quality time?!"

He tried again to shove Usagi-san away and surprisingly, it worked.

"I know exactly what you're trying to do! Don't you ever think about what I want? You don't even allow me to check my phone! It's ridiculous! Baka!"

Misaki didn't know where the words came from. They suddenly all came tumbling out of his mouth. He didn't even mean them, really. Sure, it were the things that annoyed him about Usagi-san: always sneaking up on him, never listening when he said no, being overprotective and extremely jealous. At the same time, however, these things were all part of Usagi-san, which meant…

Which meant he actually liked them.

He was so occupied by his own thoughts that he almost missed the expression on Usagi-san's face.

His violet eyes were wide, and full of an emotion Misaki couldn't place at first. Or rather, he could, but he still found it hard to believe, since he seemed to be the only one who could make Usagi-san look like that.

The man looked hurt.

Guilt immediately took over all of Misaki's thoughts, and he desperately tried to make things better.

"Ah, no, I mean…I didn't mean it, Usagi-san, I-"

His pleading words didn't seem to work. Usagi-san had his head bowed now, which made it impossible for Misaki to read more of the feelings on his face. He could tell something was seriously wrong, though. Usagi-san never had troubles with being open about his thoughts, except when he was really upset.

If he were Usagi-san, he would just say something to make the other person feel better. The novelist could probably fix this with just a few sentences. Misaki, however, had never been very good with words, especially not when it came to voicing his feelings.

"I-"

"I'm going to work. Make whatever you like for dinner, I don't really feel like eating."

Usagi-san started walking toward the stairs. Before climbing them he added, without looking back:

"If you decide to meet up with that friend of yours, make sure to leave a note."

Misaki could only stare after the man as he climbed the stairs and disappeared into his workroom.

_Shit._ He'd really messed up this time.

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><p>"So, what should we do for dinner?"<p>

Shinobu shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't particularly care. We can go to a restaurant, or we can go back to your apartment. Although in that case, we should drop by the supermarket first, because I don't think the ingredients left from last time are very edible. I don't mind going grocery shopping, though."

He couldn't help but sound a bit hopeful. It had been a long time since he'd had any quality time with Miyagi, which meant they also hadn't…_done _anything the last couple of weeks. It wasn't like that was the only thing he was after, but still…

"Let's eat out, then. After all, it's been a while: we'd better spoil ourselves."

It stung a little. Was his cooking that bad? Shinobu knew he wasn't very good at it, but he'd definitely made a lot of progress since he started. Plus he always hoped that Miyagi would be able to taste the effort and the love he put into it.

Of course, he wasn't going to let his lover know.

"Sure. Whatever you like."

Miyagi suddenly stopped walking and turned to face Shinobu. Since they were in the middle of the sidewalk, this resulted into a passer-by bumping into him.

"Oi! Don't just stop in the middle of the street!"

Miyagi only shot him a quick look, then took Shinobu's arm and pulled him toward a store that sold electronics. He stopped in front of the shop window.

"What's up with you? You've been distant this whole time."

Shinobu stared at the TV's and laptops displayed in the shop window. He really didn't want to tell Miyagi; the man would probably say something about him being a brat or a kid, and that was the last thing he wanted to hear from his lover.

"It's nothing – Just thinking about that guy from earlier."

Miyagi rose his eyebrows.

"Eh? You're still thinking about that? He was just taking too much time to try on those shirts, it's not like that's something to be this bothered about."

"It's not that, it's just…I wonder what his relationship with that man was."

Miyagi still looked confused, so Shinobu offered a little more explanation.

"The man who picked him up – he looked familiar for some reason. And earlier, that guy – Misaki, I think? – asked me something… "

He trailed off. It might not be the best idea to tell Miyagi, since he already was so worried about people finding out about them.

"Shinobu."

Suddenly, his chin was grabbed and he was forced to look Miyagi in the eyes.

"Tell me. You know you can tell me everything, right?"

Shinobu tried to look away, but it was no use. Those beautiful, dark blue eyes always drew him in completely.

"He asked me about my relationship with you."

Miyagi's eyes widened and he let go of Shinobu's chin. It looked like this one sentence not only took him by surprise, but also made him realize they were in public.

"Don't worry, I didn't tell him. I know you want it to be a secret, so - "

"What _did _you tell him?" Miyagi interrupted.

"To mind his own business."

This made his lover cover his face with one hand and groan in frustration.

"This is bad…If even someone as innocent as that kid has suspicions…"

'_I knew I shouldn't have told him,'_ Shinobu thought. He had to make this right, somehow.

"Hey, who said anything about him having suspicions? He probably just wondered what and old guy was doing with a guy his own age."

"That's exactly the point! Remember that time we went out and those people thought we were escort and client? One time was bad, I don't want that to happen again."

Shinobu snorted.

"Yeah right, as if an escort would go shopping with his clients."

"That's not the problem! It's just – it's weird for us to be seen together."

Shinobu felt like his heart stopped for a moment. Did that mean Miyagi wouldn't go on dates with him anymore? Sure, staying home was great as well – as long as they were together, everything was fine, really – but…they were lovers! They were supposed to do things together – and not only _those_ things.

"So, you're saying you don't want to be seen with me anymore? Is that is? Are you so ashamed of me that you need to hide me?"

He knew very well that he was unreasonable, but he didn't care.

Miyagi sighed and brought a hand to his hair, something he always did when he was upset.

"Shinobu-chin…We've talked about this several times. I know it's different for you, but I'm a working adult and I've got to think about my reputation…"

Suddenly, Shinobu felt like he couldn't take it anymore. All of the worries about being found out, all the irritations about being treated like a little kid, and above all the doubt about Miyagi's feelings for him – it all just came out at once.

"There you go again! You're always, _always _treating me like a little kid! It's so annoying! Sometimes I wonder if I'm even more to you than a distraction from the memories of your precious sensei!"

He heard Miyagi gasp.

"Shinobu, you know that's not - "

"It's not? Than tell me what I have to do to make you see me as a proper lover! Tell me what I have to do so that you no longer see me as a little, annoying brat."

To his dismay, he felt tears welling up. He wasn't going to cry in public, damn it!

Miyagi took a step closer to him.

"Shinobu-chi…Shinobu. You've never been a substitute. Didn't I declare my love for you in front of sensei's grave? And I've never seen you as an annoying brat…Well, maybe sometimes, but never _really_…"

He knew that. He'd heard it before, multiple times. That didn't stop the feelings of doubt he was having, though. Sometimes words just weren't enough. Sometimes you needed actions.

"Proof it," he whispered. "Proof that you love me."

Miyagi looked taken aback. He stood there for a moment, completely frozen. Then he started moving forward, and before Shinobu could process what was happening, he was being kissed. In public. By Miyagi.

The kiss wasn't hungry, like a lot of their kisses were. This time, it was sweet and full of love and pain and longing. Shinobu forgot all about their surroundings and threw his arms around his lovers neck to pull him even closer, while Miyagi in return put his hands on Shinobu's waist.

They stayed like that for a while, until they had to break apart to catch their breathes. At that moment, it seemed like the rest of the world suddenly appeared again. Shinobu noticed that quite a lot of people glanced at them while walking by or pointed them out to their companions. Not all of the looks were very nice, but he couldn't care less. Miyagi had just kissed him on the street! Suddenly worried about how his lover would react to the stares, he turned his head.

Miyagi wore a surprised expression, like he couldn't believe what he'd just done. He didn't look like he would pull back though, so Shinobu let out a sigh of relief and relaxed. He buried his head in the crook of Miyagi's neck and mumbled: "Thank you." In response, his lover tightened the embrace.

Shinobu felt like he could stay like that all day, but after only a short time, he got the feeling that someone was staring at them. Like, _really_ staring.

He turned around and was met with a familiar face.

"Ta-Takatsuki-kun?"

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><p><strong>Tun-dun-dun! Who could it be...? ;D My apologies for leaving you with a cliffhanger, but it just seemed like the right moment to stop, otherwise the chapter would have become too long (if I write longer chapters, it's going to take even longer for me to update). I'll do my best to update a little faster this time. :)<strong>

**Chapter 3 spoilers (things might turn out a little different, I'm never 100 percent sure what's going to happen next xD): Misaki and Shinobu meet again and we'll get some Akihiko POV.**


	3. Acquaintances and awkward conversations

**A/N: Remember how I said I was going to try to update faster?...Yeah, that didn't work out very well. I'm so so sorry for updating this late! I feel like a horrible writer. To make up for it, this chapter is a little longer than usual…So I hope you will forgive me. Please? *puppy eyes***

**I also have to come back on another thing I said. Todou-kun was going to appear in this chapter (and in the last chapter…I know xD), but that also didn't work out. I always have a vague idea what's going to happen in a chapter, but I never know precisely. Misaki is on his way to Todou, but well…I guess some things came between (some people ;P). Anyway, I hope the Todou-fans out there will be a little more patient. I really love him, so he is definitely going to have a role in this story! He's just such a wonderful friend to Misaki.**

**Now we're on the subject, 'JMarieAllenPoe' asked me to add some information about Todou for the readers who haven't read the manga. I have already prepared something (that was before I started writing this chapter), but since Todou isn't here yet, I'll wait with the information until he actually appears. ;)**

**Thank you all so much for the favorites/reviews/follows! It means a lot! And a special thanks to 'Spockaholic', 'JMarieAllenPoe' and 'hinatagirl18' for pointing out my 'Sempai' mistake (it's spelled 'Senpai' and it was actually his 'Sensei'…whoops. I'll do my research next time xD).**

**I hope you'll enjoy this chapter and please let me know what you think!**

**BTW, I just realized I haven't done a disclaimer yet. Well, for the ones who hadn't figured it out yet: I do not own Junjou Romantica (I wish I did, though. I mean, who doesn't? ;D)**

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><p>Misaki's day had been quite…unusual. First there was that embarrassing moment concerning the fitting room, then that strange guy – Takatsuki-kun, if he remembered correctly – had seemed to be really mad at him and to make things even better, he'd managed to make Usagi-san upset.<p>

And now two people were kissing in public. Two _males_.

"Ta-Takatsuki-kun?"

The boy looked up, his expression a mixture between annoyance and surprise. The annoyance was winning, though.

"You again? Can't you see we're busy?"

The older man – what was his name again? – mumbled something.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Takatsuki replied. He turned around to face Misaki again.

"Is there anything we can help you with,…?"

O, right. He hadn't even had the chance to properly introduce himself, because an impatient Usagi-san had dragged him of to have 'lunch'. The memory made his guilt come back, but he quickly pushed it away. Now was not the time for that.

"Ah…yes. I'm Takahashi Misaki, it's nice to meet you."

This certainly was an odd situation.

"Well, you know my name. And this," Takatsuki gestured toward the older man, "is my lover, Miyagi Yo."

Misaki felt his eyes widen. So they really were lovers… He'd had that feeling already, but to have it confirmed was something else entirely. It wasn't every day that he met a gay couple… There was one thing that surprised him even more though: how could Takatsuki just say that? It was difficult enough to use the word in front of Usagi-san; he would probably never be able to just casually throw it into a conversation like that.

When both Misaki and Miyagi stayed silent, Takatsuki turned to his lover and snorted.

"Who's rude now, old man?"

Misaki realized that Miyagi was surprised by the younger man's words as well. Maybe he wasn't the only one who found the situation uncomfortable.

"Shut up, brat, it's your fault for saying such things out in the open."

This made Takatsuki laugh out loud.

"O, so what was your idea? Did you want to use the 'escort and client story' after all?"

It seemed Miyagi didn't know what to say to this, so he turned his attention back to Misaki.

"Forgive me for being rude. It's nice to meet you, Takahashi-kun."

"Y-yes! It's nice to meet you too, Miyagi-san."

An uncomfortable silence stretched between them. Misaki really didn't know what to do. If he kept quiet, they were probably going to think that he found their relationship strange, which was not true. He was dating a man himself, after all. And their age difference was indeed huge, but so was a ten year-gap.

However, it wasn't like he could just tell them.

Misaki was just about to say something about how his friend was waiting for him and would be worried – which wasn't even a lie, since he had an appointment with Todou - when Takatsuki broke the silence.

"So, to come back to my earlier question: is there something we can help you with, Takahashi-san?"

"Ah, no, not really. I'm really sorry for disturbing you. I'll be going, then…"

He started to turn around, but stopped when Takatsuki dropped another question on him.

"O by the way, Takahashi-san: what is_ your_ relationship with that guy?"

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><p>When he heard the apartment door being closed, Akihiko slowly dragged himself downstairs.<p>

The living room wasn't as tidy as it usually was when Misaki had been home, which meant he had been in a hurry to leave. _To get away from me._ He tried to ignore the voice in his head.

There was lunch on the kitchen table, with a note next to it saying Misaki was at Todou's apartment. Seeing how his lover had prepared all this food for him, even though he'd said he didn't feel like eating, made him feel guilty. Maybe he'd overreacted, and this whole fight was actually his fault. But then he thought about Misaki, how he'd pushed him away and the words that he'd thrown at him: _"How the hell is this supposed to be quality time?!"_ He should probably already be used to his lover's resistance, but when he said things like that, it still hurt like hell. Didn't he understand that this was Akihiko's way of showing his love for him? What was so wrong about that?

He sighed, returned to the living room and let himself fall down on the couch. Misaki's voice kept haunting him.

"_Don't you ever think about what I want?"_

He thought they had settled that issue already. He really tried to give Misaki more space, but it was just so difficult. His lover was so clueless sometimes, and he only ever saw the good things in people. He loved that about him, but it also made him worry. Who knew how many idiots would try to lure away his Misaki in the future?

There was also the fact that he just couldn't control himself when it came to Misaki. The guy was just too adorable. Plus, if he didn't initiate anything, then nothing would happen at all. Misaki was still not used to their relationship. Sometimes he wondered what he would be like if he had a girlfriend. Would he still be this awkward? Akihiko couldn't help but smile at the thought. Probably. But he wouldn't be as insecure about the 'I'm having a relationship' part as he was now. He would be able to talk about it. With his friends, his family…

Akihiko let out a big sigh and lay down, with his head in Suzuki-san's lap. Takahiro. He wanted to tell him, and he knew Misaki wanted to as well. They still hadn't, however, because his lover was really scared of Takahiro's reaction. Akihiko couldn't blame him. He had never talked much with his family, and when they had realized he was gay, he was already living on his own. Not that he cared very much about what they thought about him. But Misaki and his brother were a totally different case. Takahiro had raised him, and they still were pretty close, even though Misaki always complained about being treated like a little kid. Akihiko couldn't imagine Takahiro hating Misaki, no matter what, but he understood that Misaki would be miserable when his brother wouldn't approve of their relationship. On the other hand, he knew Misaki was also feeling bad about not telling him. He made a mental note to talk about it with his lover.

He was gazing into the room when his eye caught something. Misaki had left his shopping bag in a corner. Not able to shake of his curiosity, Akihiko got up from the couch and picked it up. His eyes widened when he saw what was in it.

"_Usagi-san, what's your favorite color?"_

_They had been lying in bed and Misaki had looked so adorable, face still a little flushed and eyes almost closed. _

"_My favorite color is green, of course."_

The memory suddenly hit him like a car at full speed, and it brought tears to his eyes. Could he have been thinking about him when buying this? It wasn't very likely, but still…

"Misaki…" he whispered. He wanted to see him so badly now. Akihiko's eyes were drawn to the telephone. Misaki would probably get really annoyed when he called him, but he decided it was worth it.

* * *

><p>The moment he'd seen Takahashi, Shinobu's sentimental feelings had made room for irritation. Seriously, what was it with this guy? Did he really have to interrupt all their moments together? He couldn't deny, however, that Takahashi had caught his interest. His relationship with the silvery-haired man was still an unsolved mystery, and it wasn't like Shinobu to stop before having the answer. So he decided the best thing to do was just ask him.<p>

"O by the way, Takahashi-san: what is _your_ relationship with that guy?"

Misaki stopped dead. He slowly turned around, gaze focused on the ground. Even from this distance, Shinobu noticed that his face was red.

"T-that guy? I…I have no idea who…"

Shinobu resisted the urge to roll his eyes. This guy was by far the worst liar he had ever met.

"The man who picked you up earlier today. He looked kind of familiar to me, by the way. Is he famous or something?"

He actually meant it as a joke, what with the sports car and all, but Misaki's head shot up.

'Erm, yes…He's an author. Usami Akihiko."

Shinobu's jaw almost dropped. Usami Akihiko? No wonder he thought he'd seen the man before! He was currently one of Japan's best authors, and a favorite of both Miyagi and Shinobu.

Wait, so if he was correct…than this guy was dating a super famous person.

"Eh, really?" Miyagi asked. "That man's really talented! Now wonder he had such an expensive car…How did you two meet, Takahashi-kun?"

Shinobu inwardly smirked. Great, he had Miyagi on his side now too.

The other boy suddenly had a huge interest in the ground again.

"Well, you see, he's a friend of my brother, so when nii-chan moved and couldn't take me with him, I started freeloading at Usagi…Usami-san's house and I'm still living there now."

Talk about having good connections. Living with the famous Usami-sensei was pretty cool, Shinobu had to admit. However, there wasn't any reason to be this embarrassed about it. Determined to get his answer, he continued:

"So, you've become quite close, haven't you? He even came to pick you up."

Misaki's face turned a darker shade of red.

"Y-yes…He's quite insistent about that kind of thing…Probably because he is such close friends with my brother…And well, we've lived together for quite a long time now, so of course we've grown somewhat close…"

His tone started to become a little defensive, and Shinobu knew he was aiming in the right direction. Still, he felt like it could take a while with this guy, so he decided to stop evading the question.

"Are you lovers?"

* * *

><p>Misaki was starting to get into full panic mode right now. How did he know? Takatsuki had only seen them together once, were they that obvious? He thought they were doing a good job at hiding their relationship. Misaki was aware of the fact that he wasn't the best liar, but he made sure never to bring up the subject of 'girlfriends' and he had made it very clear to Usagi-san that he wasn't going to show any public display of affection, ever.<p>

So how had this guy found out?

Just when he was about to open his mouth to deny it, his cell phone started ringing.

"Ah, I'm sorry, my friend is probably waiting for me. Excuse me."

He quickly turned around and took a few breaths to calm himself, meanwhile looking at the display of his phone.

_Incoming call: Usagi-san_

Misaki almost dropped his phone. What was _he_ calling him for? He hesitated. It would be easier to just ignore the call, but that would look weird to Miyagi and Takatsuki. Not to mention the fact that he already felt guilty enough.

He took another deep breath and picked up the phone.

"H-hey."

He really had to find a way to stop stuttering so much.

"Misaki."

His heart skipped a beat when he heard Usagi-san's low, strong voice. He would never say it out loud, but he thought it was the most beautiful sound in the world. Although at this moment, it made him feel even worse for hurting the man it belonged to.

"Misaki, are you okay?"

He tried to answer, but found his voice suddenly didn't listen to him anymore.

"Misaki?"

At last, he managed to get something out.

"Y-yes, I'm okay."

He quickly looked over his shoulder. Miyagi and Takatsuki were watching him with curious faces. They had inched closer to each other again and just at that moment, Takatsuki slid his hand in Miyagi's. They looked…cute together. When he caught himself thinking that, he felt like hitting himself. Seriously, was he turning into a girl or something?! Still, they seemed really happy together.

Suddenly, all he wanted to do was go home and see Usagi-san.

"I…I miss you," he whispered, and then quickly covered his hand with his mouth. What had he just said?

"…Are you sure you're okay?"

Usagi-san sounded worried, which made Misaki feel even more like a burden. He was always troubling Usagi-san, wasn't he?

"Y-yes…I have to go now…Todou-kun is waiting for me…"

"You're still not at Todou's house? Where are you, then?"

"I erm…met some acquaintances on my way. I'll be going now though, so don't worry."

"Okay…be careful."

"Of course! I'm just walking on the street, baka!"

O crap. He hoped he hadn't screwed up again. But Usagi-san let out a laugh and Misaki released the breath he was holding.

"I know. I just can't help but worry about you. You sound like you feel better now, though."

Another chuckle followed.

"Anyway, have fun with your friend. Make sure you're home on time, maybe I can have dinner instead of lunch."

Misaki felt his face heat up rapidly.

"B-baka!"

He couldn't help but smile, though. It appeared Usagi-san wasn't upset anymore, and that made him incredibly happy. It suddenly felt like a huge weight had fallen of his shoulders.

"…I'll be on time," he mumbled.

He could practically hear Usagi-san smirk on the other side of the phone.

"I'm glad to hear that. And Misaki?"

"Hmm?"

"I miss you too."

This time, it felt like his heart completely stopped for a moment.

"See you at dinner, Misaki. I love you."

"Baka! D-don't say things like that on the phone! I'll be going now."

"Later, Misaki."

"B-bye."

He turned around, face still red, to find Miyagi and Takatsuki really staring at him now.

Suddenly, Takatsuki's face broke into a huge grin.

"You don't have to answer my question anymore, Takahashi-san. I think I figured it out myself."

* * *

><p><strong>So, now they know about each other relationships… ;D I hope Shinobu wasn't too OOC in the end…I don't think I have ever seen him grinning before xD I hoped you liked this chapter. There wasn't much action, I suppose, but I hope the fluff in the end made up for it. ;) I had a slightly difficult start while writing this chapter (I started with Shinobu's POV first, but it didn't work out), but in the end I really enjoyed writing it. :) This time, I won't say anything about the next chapter, since it always turns out different than I expect (although Todou has to appear this time. I mean, how many chapters can a walk to a friend's house take? xD).<strong>

**Okay, I'll quit with the rambling. I really hoped you enjoyed the chapter. Please let me know what you think, and I hope to see you soon (with a new chapter :D)!**


	4. Video games and plans for visiting

**A/N: Look, look! It's a new chapter! Within a week! I'm so proud of myself now xD Plus, my chapters keep getting longer :)**

**On top of that, Todou-kun finally makes his appearance (yes, for real this time)! So now I'll add the information I promised :)**

**Misaki and Todou meet for the first time in volume 11 (act 18). Misaki has accidentally dropped his "The Kan" phone strap and when he goes back to find it (after freaking out xD), another guy picks it up. This is, of course, Todou, who turns out to be a huge fan of "The Kan" as well. Misaki leaves and regrets not asking for the guy's name, since he feels like they "could be awesome friends". Then in act 19, they meet again, and start taking about "The Kan" and how much they love it. They find out they're in the same year (third year) and that they're both 21. Todou Shinnosuke is majoring in law. He's also in the Kendo club, and he wants to become a police officer.**

**There is a lot more to say, of course, but I'll try to keep it to a minimum, otherwise this author's note will become way too long. If anything happens in this story that asks for more background information on Todou, I'll let you know of course. For this chapter, you should know that Misaki and Todou have had a conversation about girlfriends one time. Todou was telling Misaki about his relationship and how he thought it was not going to make it, and then he asked if Misaki had a girlfriend. Misaki said (while laughing nervously): "Erm…this…it may be counted, but at the same time not quite…" and Todou was like: "What?". xD And then Todou asked if it could be that Misaki was still a virgin, which Misaki denied. **

**Todou has met Akihiko more than once (and seems to think of him as a nice person), but as you could read above, he doesn't know about the relationship between him and Misaki. Will it stay that way, I wonder...;D**

**I think Todou is awesome. He is very nice and a real friend to Misaki (unlike Sumi, who is not always very nice… Sumi has already graduated, by the way, but he and Misaki still have some contact (they sometimes call each other)). **

**So, that's it for now. I really hope you'll enjoy this chapter. Thank you all so much for reading/reviewing/following/favoriting (that's not a word, I know ^^). I know I've said it before, but it really means a lot. So I hereby send you lots of virtual love and cookies :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Junjou Romantica**

* * *

><p>Fifteen minutes later, Misaki was finally standing in front of Todou's apartment. He pushed the door bell, took a few steps back and tried to catch his breath. He'd run most of the way, and his condition wasn't very good, since he didn't practice any sports. Although Usagi-san's favorite physical activity involving him was also pretty tiring… Before he could stop it, images were floating through his head. Usagi-san's voice…his cold hands…<p>

"Misaki-kun! There you – Hey, are you okay?"

Misaki's head shot up. O crap. His face was probably even redder now than it had been before.

"Y-yeah…It's just that I ran most of the way. I was late due to…certain circumstances and I didn't want to let you wait too long."

For a moment, Todou looked like he was going to ask another question, but then he stepped back to let Misaki in.

"That's fine, don't worry about it. Please come in."

Misaki entered the apartment and felt like he could relax for the first time in a while. He was really glad to have met Todou; the guy had been a wonderful friend so far. Not only did they share the same passion (the awesomeness that was "The Kan"), but Todou was also a very kind and honest person. Even Usagi-san seemed to accept him. As far as Usagi-san would ever accept someone who got close to Misaki, that was. At least he didn't complain _that_ much when Misaki and Todou decided to meet.

While he was waiting for Todou, who was making some tea in the kitchen, Misaki let his thoughts wander to the earlier events from that afternoon. After Takatsuki-kun's statement, Misaki wished he could just sink into the ground, or become invisible, whichever was more convenient. Not only did these people, who were technically still strangers, know that he was going out with another guy, they had also overheard a super embarrassing phone call. The only positive point was that they hadn't heard Usagi-san's part of the conversation. Misaki didn't even want to think about how shameful _that_ would have been.

Then Miyagi-san suddenly came up with the idea that it would be nice to meet up with him and Usagi-san some time. He said he'd be really happy to meet the famous author, who was one of his personal favorite, and that it would also be nice for Shinobu to have a friend. At that, Takatsuki-kun had sent him a deadly glare – which he seemed to do a lot, Misaki had noticed – and snarled that it wasn't as if he hadn't any friends. But Misaki suddenly felt like a light had gone on. He had been so stupid! First, he'd been really surprised because of the scene he had witnessed on the street, and then he'd become really nervous when Takatsuki-kun was asking him all these questions about him and Usagi-san. He was used to keeping their relationship a secret, so he'd kind of panicked. But now it suddenly hit him. They were a _couple_. An even weirder one than he and Usagi-san were, if you looked at the age differences. Okay, so it was still really embarrassing that they'd overheard that phone call, and that Takatsuki-kun had been able to see right through him after only meeting him two times. But maybe it wasn't so bad that these people knew about his relationship with Usagi-san. Maybe…maybe he and Takatsuki-kun could really become friends, like Miyagi-san had suggested.

So when the two were done with their bickering, Misaki had invited them over for lunch next Saturday, and after some persuasion from Miyagi-san's side, Takatsuki-kun had put Misaki's number in his cell phone. He'd also given his number, after mumbling something about lovers and no sex this weekend. Misaki had pretended not to hear that.

Now the only thing left to do was to tell Usagi-san…and hope he wouldn't cancel the plan right away.

Just when he was thinking about how to persuade the author to let his new…friends? Acquaintances? He decided to settle for the term he had also used during the phone call with Usagi-san – come over next Saturday, Todou came walking into the living room with their drinks.

"So, Misaki, what have you been up to lately?"

Todou was looking at him with interest. That was one of the things Misaki appreciated about him – when he asked something, he honestly wanted to know the answer.

"O…erm….not much, really."

It was a huge lie, of course, but he couldn't just tell him about the events from that day. Trying to quickly change the subject, he decided to backfire the question.

"So what about you, Todou-kun? Any news?"

Did he imagine it, or did Todou's face just fall a little?

"Erm, well, I was hoping you had something nice to tell. My news is kind of depressing – well, not to you, but…"

He sighed, picked up his tea-cup to take a sip, apparently decided it was still too hot, and put it back down.

"You see, my girlfriend and I – we really broke it of this time."

Misaki's eyes widened a little. Poor Todou. He remembered a conversation they had a while back. Todou had said that his relationship probably wasn't going to make it. After that, Misaki hadn't heard much about it, so he had just assumed that it was going well again. Apparently not. He suddenly felt like a really bad friend, although he knew there was nothing he could have done to make things better.

"I'm really sorry to hear that, Todou."

Todou smiled a little.

"Thank you, Misaki-kun. I'm really glad you could come over today. I was hoping to take my mind of things. Talking about "The Kan", or playing some video games maybe?"

"Of course! Whatever you like."

His friend smiled again, although it didn't reach his eyes. Misaki noticed this and decided that this was the moment he had to step in as a friend and help Todou to get through this. Determined to make the guy really smile again, he said:

"So, what kind of video games do you have?"

* * *

><p>Shinobu felt like he was on top of the world.<p>

Okay, there had been some disturbances today. Well, one big disturbance actually: Takahashi Misaki. But looking back, it hadn't been that bad. After all, if Takahashi hadn't showed up and asked him about his relationship with Miyagi, they would never have had that discussion, which also meant that Miyagi wouldn't have kissed him on the street. And that event had led to some subtle, but really appreciated changes. For example, when Shinobu had reached for Miyagi's hand his lover hadn't rejected it, had even intertwined their fingers. The happy, bubbly feeling which had filled Shinobu at that moment was probably strong enough to last for the entire week. When people had stared at them on the street, Miyagi hadn't complained or talked about reputations even once. And now, they were having a (really late) lunch in a restaurant that was mostly visited by couples, because of the many private areas and cosy atmosphere.

When the waiter came to ask if they had already decided on what to eat, Shinobu noticed that Miyagi seemed a little…nervous. Or maybe insecure was a better word. He couldn't remember seeing his lover like that in public before, so it felt kind of weird. Then suddenly, it hit him.

O. Miyagi was _trying_ not to care. For him.

He felt his cheeks flush before he could try to prevent it. Miyagi looked at him questioningly.

"What's wrong, Shinobu-chi…err…Shinobu?"

This made his face heat up even more. His lover was really trying to be considerate of him, wasn't he? First the public display of affection, then ignoring all the stares, bringing him to a romantic restaurant and now trying to drop the honorific he liked to use when addressing Shinobu.

"Erm, you know…You can use it as a nickname, if you like. I don't really care, it's more like…I would appreciate it if you didn't use it in a serious conversation, is all."

He refused to look his lover in the eyes. Damn, this was really embarrassing. But he couldn't help but also feel really, really happy.

He heard Miyagi chuckle. Apparently he'd noticed how red his face was. Great.

"You really are cute, Shinobu-chin. Thank you."

The waiter came back with their lunch, and they were both silent for a while. After taking a sip of his drink, Shinobu cleared his throat.

"Erm, thank you. For…"

He wasn't sure how he could describe it, but from Miyagi's look it was clear that he didn't know what he was talking about, so Shinobu tried again.

"For thinking about me, I mean. You know, kissing me and all…"

Did he imagine it or was that a blush on Miyagi's face? Who knew his older lover could be cute as well? Suddenly, Shinobu felt the urge from earlier that day, to go home as fast as they could, come up again.

"Ah…yes. It's just…I can imagine it must be hard for you, too. And I hate to see you cry."

His words surprised Shinobu. It wasn't very often that Miyagi put his affections into words like that. His lover looked like he was surprised too, and when he not-so-subtly changed the subject, Shinobu realized he was embarrassed as well.

"So, I hope you don't mind that we're invited to have lunch with Misaki-kun and Usami-sensei?"

O, yes. That. Honestly, Shinobu didn't know what to think about it. He'd been a bit (okay, a lot - so much even that he'd used the 'no sex this weekend' threat, which he'd taken back almost immediately) offended when Miyagi had suggested he could use a friend. Like he hadn't any! But when he'd calmed down enough, he'd realized that Miyagi had a point. Takahashi knew about their relationship and even had a boyfriend himself. It would indeed be nice to have someone to talk to, especially someone who was in the same situation. There was one thing, though…

"Do you seriously think we can become friends? I mean, he's not the type I'd usually hang out with."

Miyagi raised his eyebrows.

"What's wrong with Takahashi-kun? He seems like a good kid."

Shinobu snorted.

"Yeah, a little too good. He could do with a little more backbone. Plus, you're just saying that because you want to meet Usami Akihiko-sensei."

Although, Shinobu had to admit, meeting one of his favorite authors _was_ kind of cool. And backbone or not, he could use a friend like Takahashi.

"Okay, fine," he said, before Miyagi had a chance to reply. "I'll try to be friends with him. But you better make sure we can have our weekly date on another day. This is your responsibility, after all."

"How the heck is this - "

His lover cut himself of when he realized he was fighting a losing battle. Shinobu smirked and picked up his chopsticks again. Before he continued to eat, however, he put his left hand on the table and moved it toward Miyagi's. After a slight hesitation, his lover took his hand and intertwined their fingers. They shared a glance, smiled and got back to their dinners.

Yes, this had definitely turned out to be a great day.

* * *

><p>It was five o'clock before he knew it. When he was with Todou-kun, time just seemed to go by so fast. They never ran out of subjects to talk about, and this afternoon, Misaki had laughed more than he had in the whole week.<p>

However, he really needed to go home now. Usagi-san would be waiting for him, and he didn't want to screw up another appointment. He'd decided to make Usagi-san's favorite food, and after dinner…Well, he'd better not think about that when he was still at Todou's house. Before he pushed the subject to a corner of his mind, however, Misaki decided he would try not to resist _too_ much. It wouldn't be easy, but if it made Usagi-san happy…Then he would try his hardest.

"I'm sorry, Todou-kun, I really need to go now. I promised Usa-Usami-san to be on time to make dinner."

It felt weird to use the author's real name, but it would be even weirder if he used the nickname when other people were around.

Todou nodded understandingly.

"Sure, it's quite late already. Time really flies when you're having fun! Thanks for coming over today, Misaki. It made me feel a lot better."

Misaki smiled at his friend.

"No problem, really. I had a great time as well."

He was rewarded with a smile back, and Misaki was happy to see that it was the same, carefree smile Todou usually wore. At least for now, his friend seemed to be feeling much better.

"I could get used to this, you know. How about you come over next Saturday as well? We could go out to have lunch first, and then see what we want to do."

If there was one thing about Todou-kun that wasn't perfect, Misaki would say it was the fact that he didn't know about his relationship with Usagi-san. If he did, he would have been aware of the fact that it was practically impossible for Misaki to have dinner with someone other than his landlord, since Usagi-san insisted on sharing every meal possible with him. Today had proven that as well, what with the author coming to pick him up after shopping…Oh.

Suddenly he remembered his conversation with Takatsuki-kun and Miyagi-san.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I already have an appointment next Saturday. Well, I'm not really sure if it's on, but…"

Todou looked a little disappointed, but kept smiling nonetheless.

"O, that's a shame. Well, let me know if it gets cancelled. And of course, I'll see you Monday at school."

"See you Monday, Todou-kun. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!"

After saying their goodbyes, Misaki started to head in the direction of Usagi-san's apartment. The moment Todou's lively presence was gone, Misaki felt tiredness coming over him. It had been an eventful day, to say the least, and he knew it wasn't over yet. There were still a few things he had to do…Starting with persuading Usagi-san into letting Miyagi-san and Takatsuki-kun come over next weekend.

* * *

><p>Akihiko didn't like to share Misaki with anyone. Therefore, he'd never invited his childhood friend over to meet his young lover. Plus, there were some things concerning him and Hiroki that could better stay in the past. If Misaki found out, it would only upset him.<p>

However, now that Misaki was bringing some friends – acquaintances, as the boy insisted on calling them – Akihiko felt like he might need some too. Or well, one at least. He wouldn't call that giant boyfriend of Hiroki's a friend, and he'd rather not have him over, but he knew it was inevitable. The guy seemed to be the persistent type. Moreover, he seemed to have a strong dislike for Akihiko, which made the author wonder just how much Kusama knew about Hiroki's and his past. Anyway, these reasons would be enough for the doctor to invite himself as well.

Akihiko sighed. It wouldn't be very nice to get glared at the whole time – but on the other hand, he didn't really care about other people's opinions. With the exception of Hiroki and Takahiro, and Misaki of course, that was. He thought about how Misaki would happily chat with the younger guy, while he would be left behind to make conversation with the older half of the couple, who was not only a complete stranger, but also a couple of years older than him. And a fan, from what he'd gathered from Misaki's excited babbling. If there was one kind of people Akihiko didn't like talking too, it were his fans. And he _absolutely_ didn't want any of them in his house. But looking at Misaki, who was talking animatedly, with a broad smile on his face and his green eyes shining, Akihiko knew he couldn't refuse him.

"Okay, okay, let them come."

Immediately, Misaki's beautiful eyes lit up even more.

"Really? Thank you, Usagi-san!"

The boy looked absolutely adorable. So of course, Akihiko just had to kiss him.

"Hmpff - Usagi-san!"

He couldn't suppress a grin. Some things never changed. However, his lover was still making too much noise, if you asked him.

He sneaked his hands under Misaki's shirt and let them travel up and down the small back, exploring the smooth, soft skin he loved so much. When Misaki grew quieter, he took his chance and moved his lips to the boy's neck, were he began licking and sucking the pale skin until he was finally awarded with a moan. He felt some of his lover's resistance fall away. Good.

With one swift movement, he picked him up and put him over his shoulder.

"U-usagi-san?!"

Akihiko could perfectly imagine the kind of face Misaki was making right now, eyes wide and cheeks flushed from their – well, _his_ – previous actions. Normally he would wait a little longer before taking them to the bedroom, but since his lunch plans had failed, he was at his limit now.

"You promised me dinner, didn't you?"

He looked over his shoulder at Misaki's face, which was beet-red, just as he'd thought. So adorable.

It was silent for a moment and then Misaki said:

"W-well that's true but…I'm seriously hungry…Can't you just wait until after dinner?"

Akihiko almost dropped the boy. Did he just _ask_ for sex? Okay, so it wasn't technically _asking, _since they both knew he would have his way with Misaki anyway, but still. Asking to move it to a later moment instead of trying to cancel it was definitely improvement.

He suddenly felt incredible happy.

"Well, you could have just said you'd rather have me as a desert."

Of course, he just had to tease his lover a little bit. He let him slide of his shoulder, so that they were now face to face, and after taking in Misaki's embarrassed and oh-so-cute-face, he pulled him closer and started nibbling on his ear, which earned him a surprised yelp from the boy.

"Although, now that I think about it, I don't know if I can wait that long," he whispered in his lover's ear.

"B-baka-Usagi!"

He chuckled.

"Alright, we'll do it your way tonight. Just hurry up with dinner, otherwise I can't promise I won't attack you anyway."

He released Misaki, who looked positively stunned that the author actually listened to him.

"A-are you sure?"

O God. No, he wasn't, especially not when Misaki was looking like that.

"Don't go asking that kind of question when you don't want me to jump you."

"A- yes! I'll make dinner!"

Misaki fled to the kitchen, while Akihiko stayed behind in the living room. He sighed. It wouldn't be easy to wait even longer, but he tried to lift his spirit by imagining how he would make up for the lost time after dinner. A smile crept on his face. God, he loved that boy so much.

For now, however, there was one more thing he needed to do. While Misaki was putting pans on the stove and looking for the right ingredients in the fridge, Akihiko picked up the phone and made a quick call.

Next Saturday would certainly be interesting.

* * *

><p><strong>Poor Todou-kun. But, he finally made his appearance! I hope it wasn't disappointing, since not much happened, but don't worry: he will be back :) <strong>

**My apologies to Terrorist fans: I realize they haven't gotten as many page space in this chapter as Romantica has. It's just that I started with Misaki's parts and then the Akihiko part popped up in my mind, so I wrote that right away. Since this took up a lot of space already, the Terrorist part is shorter. I'm really sorry, but I don't want to make the chapters too long, since I can't keep up with that. I hope the fluffiness made up for it, though. I loved writing about how they had some PDA :D O, and there will (probably) be some Miyagi POV in the future as well. I was actually writing some for this chapter, but it became too long so I scrapped it. I saved it on my laptop, though :)**

**And...Misaki and Shinobu had the same idea! That's probably the first time xD "Maybe we can become friends..." So yeah, we're finally getting somewhere ;) **

**I hope you like the fact that the Egoist couple will be playing a part in this fic. I'd been thinking about it before, and then hinatagirl18 brought it up in a PM, which got me thinking again. Thank you! :) Personally, I'm really excited about it, since I love them so much :D I hope I can do them justice…**

**The next chapter will probably (hopefully) be the "big meeting"…^^ I'm really excited about that as well…For some reason, I'm feeling enthusiastic all over again about writing this story :D**

**Until next time! And please let me know what you think! :D**


	5. Cooking, cigarettes and cocky brats

**A/N: Hey there! I am so so sorry! It's been two weeks already since I last updated. School's been a bit busy. But to make up for it: this chapter is the longest one yet! Actually, it was even longer, but I decided to split it up since I don't want the chapters to become **_**too**_** long. The bad news: you'll have to wait for Shinobu's POV (and Nowaki's) until the next chapter. The good news: I've already written four pages, which means this time, it won't take me two weeks to update ^^ **

**It took me ages to write this, because I've re-written some parts (especially at the end) in another POV. I had a lot of fun though, especially since I got to write Egoist for the first time :D Anyway, I'll quit the rambling and let you read. ;D I really hope you'll enjoy it. Thank you all so much for your support, and please keep letting me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Junjou Romantica.**

* * *

><p>The past week had flown by and Misaki couldn't believe it was already Saturday again. He'd been so taken up by school, doing chores, trying to distract Todou from his heartache and, of course, Usagi-san's usual antics, that he hadn't even had time to make a plan for the lunch appointment.<p>

"Ah, damn it!"

He was currently standing in front of a very empty refrigerator. In all his busyness, he'd also forgotten to go grocery shopping. He took a look at the clock. Ten thirty. Their guests wouldn't come until twelve, so if he hurried then he could…

"Morning…"

Usagi-san came down the stairs, looking even more lifeless than usual. Knowing Usagi-san, Misaki figured it was probably because of today's plans. Even though the author had agreed when he had asked him if some new acquaintances (possibly friends) could come over, Misaki knew he didn't really want them too. But…Usagi-san had said that some childhood friend of his would come over too, hadn't he? Shouldn't he be excited about that, then? As far as Misaki knew, Usagi-san didn't have many good friends, so to meet up with one had to be nice. He recalled Usagi-san's happy face whenever he was talking to nii-chan and couldn't help but feel a slight pang of jealousy. Misaki knew Usagi-san didn't love his brother anymore, but still…

Two arms slid around him and he was pulled backwards.

"U-usagi-san!"

He felt the other man's breath on his ear.

"Aren't you going to tell me 'good morning' today?"

"Ah, erm…Good morning, Usagi-san!"

Usagi-san chuckled and pressed a light kiss to his temple, which sent a chill down Misaki's spine.

"O, erm, yeah! I have to go to the supermarket, since there aren't enough ingredients left to make lunch for everyone. So I'll be going now…"

He tried to escape from Usagi-san's grip, but the author only pulled him closer.

"Come on, Usagi-san, there isn't much time left…"

Soft kisses were pressed against his ear, his left cheek, his jaw line, his neck… Usagi-san was being uncharacteristically gentle today and Misaki wondered if that was a good or a bad thing. It certainly didn't feel bad, though…No, wait! What was he thinking?! He couldn't let himself be swept away like this, otherwise they would end up in Usagi-san's bedroom and probably stay there until their guests came. Misaki didn't even want to think about how embarrassing that would be. Plus it would mean that there wouldn't be any lunch at all.

Knowing from experience that he wasn't able to just push Usagi-san away, Misaki waited until his grip loosened a bit and then ducked out of Usagi-san's arms.

"I'm sorry, but I really need to go now. I'll be back in a bit. There's some breakfast right over there, just heat it up if you want to eat it."

He picked up his bag from the ground and was just about to put on his coat, when Usagi-san's voice stopped him.

"Misaki…wait a second, please."

Misaki turned around, surprised. Usagi-san didn't sound like he was trying to hold him back to do more perverted things to him, for a change. Instead, he sounded really sincere. Misaki watched him walking up the stairs and disappearing for a moment, then coming back while holding a plastic bag in his hands. Misaki's eyes widened when he realized which bag it was.

"You bought this last weekend, didn't you?"

Misaki nodded hesitantly, not sure where Usagi-san was going with this question. He'd bought the shirt in the shop where he'd met Takatsuki-kun and Miyagi-san. After that, Usagi-san had driven him home and they had that fight…Misaki figured he must have dropped the bag somewhere during that time and then he'd forgotten all about it.

While walking toward him, Usagi-san held up the shirt.

"_My favorite color is green, of course."_

Misaki felt his heartbeat speed up and his face turn red at the memory. He desperately told himself to calm down. It wasn't like Usagi-san knew the reason why he'd chosen this color, so there was no need to get all embarrassed about it.

"Did you think about me while buying this, Misaki?"

Or maybe there was.

"O-of course not, ha ha. There were two colors and I didn't know which one I liked better, but then Miyagi-san said this one suited me best, so…"

When he saw Usagi-san's eyes narrowing, he knew he'd made a mistake.

"I-I mean I was going to buy this one anyway, b-but hearing it from someone else made me feel more secure about it…"

Before Misaki had even realized he was moving, Usagi-san was standing in front of him.

"So you're saying you don't remember our conversation?"

Violet eyes were piercing right through him, and Misaki couldn't help recalling more of _that_ conversation.

"_That's why I not only fell in love with you, but also with that color."_

Misaki tried his hardest to keep a straight face, but it was no use. As always, Usagi-san saw right through him. He braced himself for an attack, or at least a teasing comment, but to his surprise, Usagi-san's face broke into a huge grin. His eyes started shining and his whole face lit up. Misaki couldn't stop the thought that sprung in his head.

_He's even more handsome when he smiles like that._

"Thank you, Misaki. I'm really, really happy."

Usagi-san took a step forward and put his arms around him. After a slight hesitation, Misaki let his head rest on his shoulder. The moment didn't last very long, however, because his eyes landed on the clock.

"Ah, I really have to go now, it would be bad if we aren't ready when our guests arrive."

He could feel Usagi-san sigh, but the man let go of him anyway.

"You know, we could still cancel the appointment."

"Baka Usagi! It would be super rude to do that at the last moment! Plus it will be fun, right? You get to see one of your friends too, after all. Ah, right, I've been wanting to ask you: who is it? Someone I know?"

Usagi-san's grin turned into a mischievous one and Misaki decided he didn't like it one bit.

"Hmm, I guess you do. It's a surprise, though, so you'll just have to wait and see."

This only increased Misaki's worries, but he decided not to press the subject any further.

"Okay, then I'll be going now!"

He turned around, but was stopped by Usagi-san once more.

"Ah, just one more thing, Misaki."

He turned back around.

"What is it?"

"Could you do me a favor and wear this shirt today?"

Usagi-san motioned toward the article of clothing he was still holding in one hand.

"I'd really like to see you in my favorite color, you know…"

"B-baka Usagi!"

Misaki quickly turned around, grabbed his coat and put on his shoes.

"I'll be right back, see you soon!"

"Be safe!"

It was only when the door was closed behind him that Misaki dared to breathe again. He really hoped Usagi-san hadn't seen how red his face was. That idiot! How was it possible he could make him get so flustered over such a stupid little comment? He couldn't help but smile, though, when he recalled Usagi-san's happy face.

Maybe he'd wear the shirt after all.

* * *

><p>"Hiro-san."<p>

Hiroki groaned and turned his back to the sound.

"Hiro-san, wake up."

He became vaguely aware of a hand stroking his hair and he slapped it away with all the strength he could muster in his current state. God, couldn't they just let him sleep?! It was way too early to get up. He pulled the covers over his head and hoped they would go away.

The hand was persistent, however, and he felt how the covers were drawn back again.

"I know you want to sleep, but it's eleven thirty already. It would be rude to keep Usami-san waiting."

Usami-san? Ah wait, that would be…Akihiko…

Akihiko!

Suddenly wide awake, Hiroki shot up.

"Shit," he murmured under his breath. "That stupid Akihiko."

His childhood friend Usami Akihiko, occasionally (okay, very often) known as 'Bakahiko', had persuaded him into coming to some sort of lunch appointment today. He'd also invited Nowaki, since _"That freakishly tall boyfriend of yours would come along anyway"._ So here he was, about to sacrifice his free time to have lunch with some people he didn't know, plus his first love and his current lover.

How wonderful.

He turned his attention to Nowaki, who was looking at him with a worried frown on his face.

"I'm really sorry, Hiro-san. There was an emergency case. I left as soon as I could, but it's still very late…"

Yesterday, they'd agreed that Nowaki, who had a night shift at the hospital, would wake him up as soon as he got home. Hiroki had argued that he could just set his alarm clock, but Nowaki, knowing perfectly well how much Hiroki hated the damn thing, had persisted that he would be the one to wake him up. Hiroki thought about dropping an 'I told you so'-comment, but Nowaki's guilty face stopped him. He couldn't help it if he had to stay longer at his work, after all. On top of that, he was probably exhausted, and still here he was, ready to go to some stupid appointment he probably really didn't want to go to. All for Hiroki's sake.

The thought made him blush and he quickly shook it out of his head.

"Ah, that's okay. I don't particularly care if we're late. It's just Akihiko, after all. Plus you just worked the whole night, it's only natural."

Nowaki grinned and Hiroki noticed that he looked relieved. Good. Hopefully he wouldn't feel guilty anymore now.

"Yes, that's right. Plus Hiro-san is the one that always oversleeps, even when I wake you on time."

Hiroki narrowed his eyes. That brat was really getting cockier every day.

"Watch what you're saying, brat, or I'll leave you here."

Nowaki's teasing expression changed to a slightly worried one.

"Eh? But Usami-san invited me too!"

Hiroki frowned when a thought suddenly came up in his head.

"I thought you didn't like Akihiko? Since when do you talk about him without the 'I hate his guts' - face?"

His lover's gaze darkened for a moment and Hiroki felt like hitting himself. Akihiko was always a dangerous subject to talk about, especially in this way. He breathed a sigh of relief when Nowaki's face turned back to his usual happy expression.

"Well, I still don't really like him, but I figured I should give him a chance. It's been a long time after all, I shouldn't judge people based on old impressions."

His smile was as warm and honest as always. However, Hiroki couldn't help but be a bit skeptical. Sure, it had been a long time, so Nowaki could have gotten over the Akihiko thing, but still…Hiroki knew his boyfriend was pretty jealous when it came to him. Yes, there was definitely something fishy about this.

"Well, you'd better change, Hiro-san. If we hurry, we won't be _that_ late. It would be very rude to keep everyone waiting when they're about to have lunch."

Hiroki nodded and reluctantly dragged himself out of his warm bed. Nowaki disappeared from the room, probably to make some more preparations, but not before lightly kissing Hiroki's cheek. He chuckled when his older lover turned bright red and walked away while humming contently.

"Brat," Hiroki muttered.

While pulling some random garments out of his closet, he wondered how, and more importantly _if_, he was going to survive this day.

* * *

><p>At twelve o'clock sharp, Shinobu pushed the doorbell of Usami Akihiko-sensei's apartment. Miyagi couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. It was ridiculous, really. He was already in his thirties, but he felt like a high school kid who was waiting on his idol. That was kind of how it was, though, since Usami-sensei had been one of his favorite authors for a while now.<p>

He could hear footsteps approaching and then the door swung open to reveal the novelist himself. Miyagi tried his best not to stare, but found it very hard. The image seemed to resemble the Usami-sensei he'd seen on TV a few times before: formal clothes, tie, silvery hair, violet eyes, handsome face…However, something was off. Miyagi couldn't quite say what it was, though, until he noticed the way in which Usami was looking Shinobu up and down. The great novelist, who was admired by a lot of women not only for his looks but also for his generous smile and kind words, gave off a cold, hostile atmosphere.

Usami's intense gaze shifted toward Miyagi and he had to try his best not to cringe. Who did this man think he was? Famous or not, this was no way to treat your guests. Miyagi made sure to keep a straight back and look him directly in the eyes. He wouldn't back down, especially not with Shinobu standing next to him.

After a few uncomfortable seconds, which felt like hours, Usami took a step back and opened the door a little wider.

"You must be Miyagi-san and Takatsuki-kun. Come in, please."

The apartment was beautiful and incredible spacious. Attached to the huge living room was an open kitchen, in which Takahashi-kun was preparing lunch. He left his cooking for a moment and dashed toward them.

"Good morning – erm, I mean afternoon!"

"Hey," Shinobu replied.

Takahashi had swept back his hair with a few hair clips and he was wearing an apron. Underneath, Miyagi noticed an article of clothing that looked really familiar for some reason. It took a few seconds before it clicked in his head.

"Good afternoon, Takahashi-kun. Is that the shirt you were trying on last time?"

Takahashi smiled brightly and nodded.

"Yes, it is. Thank you for helping me out, Miyagi-san."

"No problem."

During their conversation, Usami had settled on one of the couches, while Shinobu was still standing next to Miyagi. For some reason, his lover was angrily glaring at Usami, while the novelist seemed to be ignoring everyone around him.

Well, this sure was awkward.

"So, Takahashi-kun, how's lunch coming along?"

At this comment, Shinobu turned his head around so fast that Miyagi was afraid he'd get a whiplash or something.

"I can help you cook!"

Miyagi snorted and rolled his eyes at his little lover.

"Yeah, right."

He turned to Takahashi and added: "Don't let him get close to the food, he's a disaster in the kitchen."

For a moment, he was afraid he'd really screwed up this time. After all, Shinobu was trying his hardest to improve his cooking skills and please him. He breathed a sigh of relief when Shinobu's expression turned into his usual scowl.

"Oi, old man, I never hear you complaining when I do the cooking every day!"

Miyagi smiled and ruffled Shinobu's hair.

"Yes, yes, I know. And I'm actually quite happy about it, Shinobu-chin. It saves me a lot of time."

His smile widened when his lover's face turned bright red. God, he was so adorable.

Suddenly, he remembered they weren't alone. He quickly checked the other men's expressions. Takahashi was looking everywhere but at them, while Usami was staring straight back at Miyagi, with an amused expression on his face and a little smile around his lips.

Crap. He was really starting to lose his focus. Since last weekend, he'd allowed Shinobu to hold his hand in public and when they were in more quiet areas, Miyagi would occasionally steal a little kiss. While he had to admit that it felt great to act a bit more like lovers, he still hadn't managed to get over his fears. Quite the opposite; it seemed there were even more voices in his head now telling him he had to be on guard, and he'd woken up more than once from a nightmare in which he'd lost everything: his job, his position and, even worse, Shinobu.

He hadn't told his lover about this, of course. There was no point in making him upset over something like that. But those nightmares made him reconsider his choice to act more lovey dovey with Shinobu, made him wonder what he was going to do if he would really lose him…

"So erm, Takatsuki-kun…? Would you still like to help making lunch? 'Cause I could use some help, and I could also learn you some things if you want…"

Miyagi smiled. Of course it would be Takahashi who broke the silence. It wasn't hard to figure out that he was the kind of person who wanted everyone to be happy. Miyagi really hoped the two younger men would get along, because Takahashi would definitely be a great friend for Shinobu.

Therefore, he was happy when his lover followed Takahashi into the kitchen, until he realized that that meant he was left to talk to Usami.

Great.

* * *

><p>That stupid Hiroki! Akihiko had eventually persuaded him into coming over, and now that idiot texted him to tell him that he and his boyfriend would be late, which meant he would still have to make small talk with a man he didn't know.<p>

On the bright side, things had gotten a bit more interesting just now. When it came to Misaki and Akihiko, Misaki would be the one to shy away from any public displays of affection, but with this couple, it seemed like it was the older man who didn't know what to do with himself. Miyagi had caught him looking and Akihiko was pretty sure that for a moment, the man had had a faint blush on his cheeks. He couldn't help but smile a little. Maybe it would turn out to be a nice afternoon, after all.

Miyagi awkwardly sat down on the couch across the one Akihiko had settled on.

"So, erm…"

Akihiko half expected him to say something like: "I really love your books!" or another one of those insignificant comments his fans usually made, but thankfully, the man took another direction.

"I don't think I've introduced myself yet. My name is Miyagi Yo, and the guy over there is Takatsuki Shinobu."

"Your lover."

He smirked inwardly when he saw the other man cringe a little. Just as he'd thought, he was almost as awkward as Misaki. It would be fun to tease him a little.

"Ah-yes."

Well, at least he admitted it. Not that there was any use in trying to hide it.

"And you're living together."

Miyagi's eyes widened and Akihiko really had to try not to laugh about this reaction. He and his little boyfriend had just talked about how the guy would cook for Miyagi every day. It wasn't that hard to figure out.

"Yes, that's true."

Then, to Akihiko's surprised, he added: "We used to live next to each other, so we would go to each other's apartments all the time. Shinobu complained that he always had to come over to me and that I never came to him, so I asked him to move in with me."

"I see."

So it really was Takatsuki who took the initiative in their relationship. 'Maybe it isn't so bad that Misaki has found these new 'acquaintances' ', Akihiko thought, while taking a cigarette out of a packet that was lying nearby. His lover could definitely learn a thing or two from that kid.

He offered Miyagi a cigarette, who accepted it. While they were both silently smoking for a moment, Akihiko looked at Misaki, who seemed to be teaching Takatsuki some sort of cooking method. Instead of filling him with jealousy, like it usually would, the sight made him smile. After all, Takatsuki was taken, and his lover was sitting right here. Plus Misaki looked more relaxed than Akiko had seen him in a while. Ever since Takahiro had started talking about his younger brother moving out of the apartment and finding a place of his own, Misaki had been struggling with his feelings. He hadn't told Akihiko with so many words, but the man knew his lover very well. Misaki felt bad for keeping things from his brother, but he was also afraid of his reaction. The fear and the guilt were probably taking its toll. Therefore, Akihiko was really happy to see him like this. Maybe having a friend who was more or less in the same boat would make Misaki feel better.

As if he could feel Akihiko's gaze, Misaki suddenly looked up. His happy expression turned into a frown.

"Usagi-san, please cut back on the smoking! You've already had two cigarettes today, don't you think it's a bit too much?"

Akihiko smiled. He was so adorable when he worried about him like that. It was a shame they had guests, otherwise he would have picked Misaki up and carried him upstairs, where that new shirt – which really suited him, by the way – would be lying on the ground within seconds.

"Don't worry about it, I'll stop after this one, okay?"

"Yeah right, you say that every time. Baka-Usagi."

His smile grew wider. Yep. Totally adorable.

"Usagi?"

Miyagi's surprised voice brought him back to earth. He turned to the other man.

"Ah, yes, his brother gave me that nickname. Misaki has adopted it."

"So…Is that how you met? Through his brother?"

A bit surprised that Miyagi was asking a question on a more personal level, Akihiko blew out some smoke and nodded.

"Yes, his brother Takahiro is my best friend. He asked me to tutor Misaki to prepare him for his final exams. When Takahiro married and moved away for his work, Misaki came living here as a freeloader. In return, he does all the chores around the house for me."

"Ah, I see."

It was silent again, until Akihiko decided to backfire the question. He had to admit, he was getting a little curious about this man's relationship with Takatsuki as well. After all, they were an even more unusual couple than Misaki and he were.

"So how about you and that kid? You're not really a regular couple either. Did you meet because you were neighbors?"

Miyagi laughed uncomfortably, which only made Akihiko more curious. This was going to be an interesting story, he could feel that.

"Well, no…We weren't neighbors when we met. Actually, I kind of saved him from some guys who wanted to take his money…And later, when we met again, Shinobu declared his love for me out of the blue…and told me to take responsibility."

Akihiko felt his eyes widen and before he could stop himself, he burst out laughing.

"That's brilliant! I would have liked to see your face at that moment."

The stunned expression on Miyagi's face slowly faded away and was replaced by a slightly amused one.

"Well, I'm wondering what I must have looked like as well…I was really shocked. Especially since…"

He suddenly cut himself off, looking all serious again. 'There it is', Akihiko thought. The most interesting part had yet to come. So he decided to prod a little.

"Since…?"

Miyagi hesitated for a moment.

"Well, you see…I was married to a woman before."

This made Akihiko raise his eyebrows. Okay, he did _not_ expect that. Miyagi seemed to be contemplating something before adding:

"To his sister, actually."

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><p><strong>I'm sorry about the cliff-hanger, but this really was the best place to split up the chapter. Next time, you'll get to see how Misaki and Shinobu are doing in the kitchen, and Hiroki and Nowaki will be joining the party! :D Please let me know what you think, and I'll see you next time!<strong>


	6. Universities and unexpected guests

**A/N: Hi there! I'm back again with a new chapter :D I'm so happy you enjoyed the last one! Thank you so much for all your reviews/follows/favorites! I opened my email last Monday morning before I went to school, and I was incredibly happy when I saw your responses. Every time I was feeling a bit down ('cause, you know, Monday and school isn't the best combination xD), I just thought about all the reviews and I was happy again :D**

**A few notes for this chapter:**

**I'm not sure if Shinobu studies at Teito University, but the manga said T. University and since Akihiko studied at Teito and both of them chose law, I presume it's the same. Please tell me if I'm mistaken. **

**I hope Shinobu isn't too OOC. I figured he would act different around friends than he acts around Miyagi, and since he's decided to give Misaki a chance, he's trying to be nice to him. :)**

**Also, I went with the manga on the Hiroki/Misaki thing. For the ones who haven't read the manga: in Egoist act 15, Hiroki and Nowaki meet Akihiko on the street, who is waiting for Misaki. Misaki is shocked when he sees 'Kamijou sensei' and runs away. Hiroki asks Akihiko about him, since he recognizes Misaki as a student, and Akihiko tells him he's a lodger. When Akihiko's gone, Hiroki tells Nowaki that he's really happy for his friend that there's someone who can live with him. **

**Then in Romantica act 26.5, Akihiko tells Misaki that he and Hiroki have an 'unusual relationship', which worries Misaki. Akihiko then says he will tell him if Misaki kisses him. Misaki agrees, but he makes Suzuki-san (the bear) kiss Akihiko xD So in the end, Misaki still doesn't know much about Akihiko and Hiroki. **

**This author's note is getting way too long (as usual), so I'll shut up now. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Junjou Romantica.**

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><p>Shinobu had to admit, he was enjoying himself.<p>

Takahashi was an incredibly good cook, and he knew all kinds of tricks to make things taste just a little better or just a little easier to prepare. On top of that, he was super patient. And it turned out he was also nice to talk to.

"So, which university do you go to, Takatsuki-kun?" Takahashi asked, while stirring in one of the pans on the stove.

"Teito University. How about you?"

"I'm studying economics at Mitsuhashi University. What do you study, Takatsuki-kun?"

'Mitsuhashi, huh?' Shinobu thought while cutting some vegetables. Takahashi had given him the more easy tasks to do. It wasn't in Shinobu's nature to settle for something easy while he hadn't even tried the more difficult things, but he had to admit that Takahashi was the cook here. So for now, he'd just do the task given to him.

"I study law at school and literature in private."

Takahashi looked up, a surprised expression on his face.

"Really? That's pretty amazing! I would never be able to do two studies at the same time."

"Ah, well, Miyagi helps me out sometimes. He's a literature professor at Mitsuhashi."

Takahashi's eyes widened even more.

"Seriously?! I've never seen him before! Ah, but I had another literature professor…"

His face turned a little dark for a second, and he also looked a little…scared? Shinobu wondered what that was about.

Takahashi seemed to realize he'd suddenly become quiet and he quickly spoke up again.

"Ah, you see, he was horrible. He'd always throw books and other things at his students…"

Throw books…Somehow, that sounded familiar…

"…So that's why we always called him 'Kamijou the devil'."

Shinobu's eyes widened. Of course! He was talking about that stupid professor that Miyagi always was all over. He felt his mood turn sour.

"Takatsuki-kun? Are you okay?"

He focused his attention back on Takahashi.

"Yes, I'm okay."

He hesitated for a moment. There was no harm in telling Takahashi about it, was there? After all, this guy seemed to have a strong dislike for Kamijou as well.

"Actually, I know him, since he's Miyagi's colleague. I occasionally drop by Mitsuhashi to visit Miyagi and several times, I've found him in kind of…suspicious situations with Kamijou. Every time, he tells me it's nothing and that they're just friends, but…I still don't like it. Especially not since Miyagi seems to enjoy flirting with him."

Takahashi's worried expression was replaced by a sympathized one.

"Well, I can't say I've got much experience with that…But I don't think Miyagi-san is cheating on you. In fact, I think he l-loves you very much."

Surprised, Shinobu looked up, to be met with Takahashi's bright red face. He had to stop himself from laughing. This guy was pretty awkward, wasn't he? But he was really trying to cheer Shinobu up.

"Thank you, Takahashi-san."

"Ah, erm…you can drop the 'san', you know."

He smiled.

"Takahashi-kun, then."

Trying to get the conversation going again, Shinobu asked:

"Have you ever been to a foreign country before, Takahashi-kun?"

The boy shook his head.

"No…Usag- Usami-san said we'd go to England one day, though. I would love that, but it also makes me nervous…My English is pretty bad."

An idea suddenly popped up in Shinobu's head. He hesitated for a moment. It would definitely mean spending more time with Takahashi, but since arriving here, he'd started to think maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.

"I could help you with your English, if you want to. You could see it as payback for you helping me with cooking. I went to school in Australia for a while, so my English is good."

Takahashi's face brightened.

"Really? I'd love that! Wow, Australia, that's super cool!"

For the rest of the time, they chatted about things like Shinobu's time in Australia, school and their families. Occasionally, Shinobu glanced at Miyagi and Usami, who seemed to be getting along as well. His eyes narrowed when he looked at the writer. He seemed okay now, but Shinobu hadn't forgotten the way Usami had looked him up and down when he and Miyagi arrived at the apartment. If there was one thing he couldn't stand, it was people looking down on him.

"Usagi-san, please cut back on the smoking! You've already had two cigarettes today, don't you think it's a bit too much?"

While he followed the conversation between Takahashi and Usami, Shinobu realized the younger boy had a point. Shinobu sometimes worried about Miyagi smoking too much as well. He'd have to remember to talk to him about it when they got home.

When Usami got back to talking with Miyagi, Shinobu and Takahashi picked up their own conversation again. Not too long after that, though, Shinobu heard something that made him stop in his tracks.

"…married to a woman before."

He looked up, stunned. Miyagi wasn't going to tell him, was he?

"To his sister, actually."

Shinobu saw Usami's eyes widen. He looked back to Takahashi, who seemed to have heard it as well. Suddenly, the whole living room was quiet. Miyagi turned his head and noticed Shinobu staring at him.

"Erm…"

Thankfully, Takahashi spoke up.

"W-well…" he started, "erm…actually, we have kind of the same situation…."

"Well, it's not exactly like yours," he added hastily when he saw Miyagi and Shinobu's stunned expressions. "But, well…"

"I was in love with his brother," Usami cut in.

Miyagi looked just as surprised as Shinobu felt.

"Really? Then how…"

Takahashi was nervously playing with his apron. Shinobu understood his feelings painfully well. After all, he still felt sick whenever the subject of his lover having been married to his sister came up.

"Nii-chan…Nii-chan got married."

Shinobu had to try to keep his mouth from falling open. Did that mean…?

As if suddenly realizing how that might sound, Takahashi spoke up again.

"Ah, it's not like I'm re-replacing him or something…ha ha..."

He looked like he wasn't feeling very well and Shinobu felt sorry for him. He wanted to say something, but Usami was faster.

"Of course not. Misaki cried for me when Takahiro told me he was going to marry, and that's when I realized he was the one. We'd gotten to know each other quite well before that, too, since I was tutoring him."

He walked over to his lover and put an arm around him, which resulted in Takahashi's face becoming scarlet. When Usami pressed a kiss to his temple, it looked like his head was going to explode.

"U-usagi-san…"

Shinobu looked up and found that Miyagi was staring at him. That look in his eyes…Shinobu could feel himself becoming almost as red as Takahashi. He wanted nothing more than to walk over to his lover and kiss him, but he didn't know how Miyagi would feel about that. Even though he'd allowed a lot more PDA lately, Shinobu could tell he still wasn't completely comfortable with it.

"Usagi-san, your friend is late."

The comment was obviously meant to change the topic of conversation, but it caught Usami's attention anyway, as well as Miyagi's and Shinobu's.

"Yes, that's right," the novelist said. "I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you. He texted me about half an hour ago that they would be late."

Shinobu and Miyagi shared a look.

"Friend?"

"_They?"_

Shinobu looked at Takahashi, who apparently was surprised as well.

"Usagi-san, you didn't tell me that you invited more than one person! I really hope we'll have enough food…"

Usami smiled and ruffled his lover's hair.

"Relax, it's just one person extra."

Then he turned to the guests.

"I forgot to tell you as well, but since Misaki invited some friends, I figured I would as well. My childhood friend is coming over and he'll be bringing his boyfriend with him."

"Boyfriend?!"

Takahashi spun around at top speed, which made Usami laugh.

"Yes."

Takahashi looked like he was going to say something, but he went back to his cooking instead.

"Baka-Usagi," he mumbled. "Never tells me anything."

Shinobu shared another look with Miyagi. Well, this day was certainly full of surprises. While going back to his task in the kitchen, he wondered what kind of people Usami had invited.

* * *

><p>When the bell rang for the second time that day, Misaki almost ran to the door.<p>

"I'll get it!"

He didn't quite know how to feel after that serious conversation just now. On one side, it had been really awkward, especially since Usagi-san had decided to act all lovey-dovey all of a sudden. But on the other hand, Misaki was really glad to have found someone who was more or less in the same situation as he was. Actually, it sounded like Takatsuki-kun had it even worse.

For now, however, there were other things to focus on. He'd been wondering this whole time who this childhood friend of Usagi-san's was. Since the novelist didn't like to share Misaki with anyone (his words, not Misaki's), he'd never introduced him to any friends. He knew Usagi-san sometimes went out drinking, but he never told Misaki much about it. He never invited anyone to his apartment, and for some reason they'd never bumped into anyone on the streets. Well, expect for that time when...

Misaki's jaw dropped. No way. No way, no way, absolutely no…

He opened the door and was met with a familiar face.

"K-kamijou-sensei!"

His old literature professor looked just as shocked as Misaki felt. He quickly recovered, however, and his expression turned back into his usual scowl.

"So you're still living here, huh?"

"Ah-yes…"

Kamijou shook his head disbelievingly.

"It's a mystery to me how you endure living with that Bakahiko."

"Erm, well…that is…"

"Hiro-san, don't be rude."

For the first time, Misaki noticed the person standing behind Kamijou-sensei. He was incredibly tall, with dark hair and a kind face. When he noticed Misaki looking, he smiled and took a step forward.

"I'm Kusama Nowaki, it's nice to meet you."

Misaki was just about to answer when a thought struck him.

Wait, _Hiro-san?!_

"…_he'll be bringing his boyfriend with him."_

When he remembered what Usagi-san had said earlier, his jaw almost dropped.

Kamijou-sensei had a _boyfriend_?! And it was this super nice looking guy?! Well, no wonder, you probably had to be an angel to be able to handle Kamijou the devil.

Suddenly, he remembered that he still had to reply.

"Ah, I'm sorry…I'm Takahashi Misaki, it's nice to meet you."

He took a step back.

"Please come in, lunch is almost ready."

* * *

><p>As he followed Hiro-san into the apartment, Nowaki couldn't help but be impressed. He'd never lived in luxury, and this apartment was definitely expensive, not to mention unnecessarily spacious. However, this was not the only reason he was starting to feel slightly uncomfortable. Before coming here, he had mentally prepared himself to face Usami again. But he would never have thought that that annoying professor Miyagi would be here too.<p>

"Kamijou! What are you doing here?"

The professor himself seemed to be surprised as well. He stood up from the couch and walked over to Hiro-san to pull him into a hug. Nowaki had to try his hardest not to attack him. He knew Hiro-san wouldn't like that, especially not since they were in the apartment of his childhood friend. Still…that Miyagi would better not try to pull too many stunts, or he'd definitely regret it.

"P-professor Miyagi! I could ask you the same thing…And could you _please_ let me go?!"

Hiro-san struggled under Miyagi's grip and the older man released him.

"Ah, you're no fun, Hiroki."

"Stop calling me that!"

Nowaki felt someone staring at him. He looked around and found Usami looking right back at him, a surprised and amused expression on his face. This only made him feel more aggravated, but he tried his best not to let it show. Instead, he put on a fake smile and walked towards his lover and his professor.

"Miyagi-san, long time no see."

He knew he should actually greet Usami first, since he was the host, but there was no way he'd let that professor touch his Hiro-san again.

"Ah-Kusama-kun, wasn't it? Good to see you two are still together."

Nowaki felt his eyes widen. He really didn't know what to make of this man. One moment he was all over Hiro-san and now he was talking about their relationship? He studied the older man's face for a moment, which looked genuinely interested. Nowaki hadn't forgotten how he'd once tried to kiss Hiro-san, though.

"W-what are you saying, professor? Ha ha…"

Hiro-san's cheeks started to become pink, which made him look even cuter than usual. Nowaki had to stop himself from kissing him. Instead, he simply took his hand.

"Yes, we're still very happy, thank you."

His lover's face turned completely red now.

"You brat! What do you think you're doing?!"

He noticed how Hiro-san's eyes shot nervously back and forth between him and the kitchen. Nowaki followed his gaze and saw Takahashi standing there, together with another boy around his age. While Takahashi looked downright shocked, the other was obviously very pissed. He wondered what that was about.

"Relax, Hiroki. We're all couples here," Usami's low voice suddenly cut in.

Hiro-san looked as surprised as Nowaki felt.

"W-what? So you and that brat…?"

Usami walked towards the kitchen, took Takahashi's arm and pulled him towards the living room.

"O-oi! Usagi-san!"

"Hiroki, let me introduce you. This is Takahashi Misaki, my lover."

The boy's eyes widened and he seemed to shrink under the glare Hiro-san was giving him. He was obviously very uncomfortable with the whole situation and Nowaki felt sorry for him.

"Hiro-san…" he whispered.

His lover stopped staring at the boy, instead moving his gaze to Usami.

"You've got to be kidding me," he mumbled.

Suddenly, Usami's eyes lit up and he smirked.

"Want me to prove it?"

Without waiting for an answer, he turned to Takahashi, took his chin in one hand and put his other hand on his waist, and kissed him full on the lips.

* * *

><p>Misaki's eyes widened the moment he felt Usagi-san's lips on his. They were soft, yet firm, and slightly chilly, which sent shivers down Misaki's spine. He felt himself getting swept away. That happened more and more lately, and he had yet to decide whether that was a good or a bad thing.<p>

Right now, however, it was definitely a bad thing.

He was just about to push Usagi-san away when the novelist took a step back. Misaki looked at the floor while trying to catch his breath and decide on how the hell he was going to face their guests now. When he'd finally gathered enough courage to look up, he found that everyone was staring at him. Great. He felt his face heat up even more. To avoid the stares, he turned his head towards Usagi-san, only to be met with a smug smile.

"Enough proof, Hiroki?" Usagi-san asked, without taking his eyes off of him.

That bastard. Misaki wanted to yell at him, but for some reason, his voice didn't work the way he wanted it too. He tried looking at the others again. Kamijou-sensei was staring at him, his glare replaced by a stunned expression, while Kusama-san caught Misaki's gaze and smiled softly at him. They were so different that Misaki had a hard time imagining them as a couple, even though the proof was right before his eyes, since Kusama-san was still holding Kamijou-sensei's hand.

Miyagi-san didn't seem very affected by the whole situation, but then, he'd already known that Usagi-san and he were dating. Plus, Misaki had found him and Takatsuki in a much more heated making out session…his cheeks became warm when he thought about it. He shifted his gaze to Takatsuki, who was sending Kamijou-sensei murderous looks. Misaki figured that had to be because of Miyagi-san flirting with him…Although it was a mystery to him as to why someone would want to flirt with that devil.

The whole atmosphere was starting to become super uncomfortable, and Misaki was glad when Usagi-san spoke up again.

"So, how about lunch, Misaki?"

"Ah-yes! I'm on it!"

He almost ran to the kitchen, were he quickly gave Takatsuki some instructions. While the other guests went to sit at the table, Misaki finally let out a sigh he didn't know he was holding. This was definitely more stressful than he thought it would be. He turned his attention to Takatsuki.

"Are you okay? I mean…with Kamijou-sensei showing up and all?"

Takatsuki looked up, face expressionless.

"I think I can better ask if _you_ are okay. For a moment, I thought your head was going to explode."

Misaki stared at him, cheeks becoming rosy again. God, why did he have to blush so easily? Now Takatsuki thought he was a complete loser.

Suddenly, the other boy burst out laughing.

"Geez, I was only kidding you! No need to look so worried."

Misaki looked at him, surprised, and then hesitantly smiled.

"But thanks for asking. I'm not really happy with that Kamijou showing up, but at least I'm here to keep an eye on them," Takatsuki continued in a more serious voice.

Misaki thought of the moment when Miyagi-san had hugged Kamijou-sensei.

"Well, I don't think Kamijou-sensei liked it when Miyagi-san attacked him. He looked kind of pissed. So did Kusama-san, by the way."

"Hmm…you might be right."

Takatsuki looked at the dining table and Misaki followed his gaze. Usagi-san and Miyagi-san seemed to be teasing Kamijou-sensei, while Kusama-san was watching them. At least the awkward atmosphere seemed to be gone. For now, that was.

Regarding everything that had already happened, he wondered if he would survive this lunch.

* * *

><p><strong>So, yeah…the lunch still isn't over! I hope you don't mind it's taking so long…I feel like there's so much that has to be included in their first meeting, and there are so many different point of views to write in…the next chapter should be the last lunch chapter, though, in which they're actually going to have lunch…xD That should be interesting…I think Miyagi and Akihiko are going to have a lot of fun teasing poor Hiroki ;D<strong>

**Please let me know what you think! I love you guys! See you next time! :D**


	7. Brothers, bosses and BL-novels

**A/N: Hello again! 50 follows! I'm so happy right now! Thank you all so very much! The fact that people are reading and enjoying this means a lot to me :D**

**Here's the chapter that may or may not be the last lunch chapter (please take a look at the A/N at the end of this chapter for more information ;P). I had lots of fun writing this, as usual, and I hope you'll enjoy it as well. Please let me know what you think! **

**Also, I've got a little favor to ask. My best friend has posted a story on FictionPress, but finds it hard to get readers. I've read the first chapter and I know a lot about the plot line, and it really looks like it's going to be an awesome story. So if you've got some time, could you please give her story a try? It might seem a little vague in the beginning (she said so herself) but the genres aren't 'romance' and 'mystery' for nothing. ;P The story is called "The dream catcher" and her username is "Fleur99". You can also find it on our shared Wattpad account, where we write under the name "Theladydrummer". Thanks a lot!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Junjou Romantica.**

* * *

><p>The silence was starting to become uncomfortable.<p>

From the moment Akihiko had invited him, Hiroki had been having a bad feeling about it, but he had never expected the lunch appointment to turn out this way. Now he had to sit at a table with _two _people his lover disliked – as if putting Nowaki together with Akihiko in one room wasn't enough, professor Miyagi just had to be there too. Now that he thought about it, why exactly was he here? Hiroki didn't feel like being the one to break the silence, but he had to admit he was kind of curious.

"So, professor…why exactly are you here?"

Miyagi looked up from his plate and shot him one of his carefree smiles.

"Well, to be able to see you of course, Hiro – ouch."

Miyagi's smile had disappeared and he shot Takatsuki, who was sitting next to him, a slightly offended look.

"What was that for?!"

Takatsuki said nothing, instead just glared at the older man. Hiroki snorted at the interaction. This brat was quite possessive, wasn't he? It kind of reminded him of…

He turned his head to look at his own lover, who was sitting on his right. Nowaki was looking at the couple as well, smiling lightly, but Hiroki could see in his eyes that something was off. He was quite sure that Nowaki had never really forgiven Miyagi for that time he'd almost kissed him – Hiroki tried not to think too much about it, it was certainly one of the weirdest things that had ever happened to him – but there was no reason for him to be jealous right now, was there? Especially since the professor had his lover with him. Hiroki had complained plenty of times to Nowaki about how he would often come into his office to find the two of them in some sort of suspicious position, so he should know by now that there was no way Miyagi was seriously hitting on him. Unless…He shot another look at Nowaki, who was now staring at his food again. Unless he didn't realize who Takatsuki was.

"You know, professor Miyagi, you haven't introduced us to your…err…friend."

Miyagi turned his attention to him again, looking surprised.

"Ah - of course. Well, you know him already, Kamijou," he looked slightly embarrassed while saying this, "so, Kusama-kun, this is Takatsuki Shinobu…"

He trailed off, but when Takatsuki sent him another glare, he added: "…my lover."

Hiroki saw Nowaki's eyes widen. So he really hadn't realized it yet.

"I told you already, didn't I?"

His lover turned to him and nodded, still looking surprised.

"Yes, I know, but I didn't expect…"

He stopped and gave the couple across him an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry. Hiro-san already told me, but…I guess seeing you together somehow makes it different."

Miyagi started to look uncomfortable, while Takatsuki just wore his usual scowl. Hiroki wondered if the kid really didn't care or if it was just a facade. After all, he was quite familiar with putting on a mask himself.

"Ha ha, well, it's quite a huge age gap indeed," Miyagi said while nervously laughing at Nowaki.

"Not to mention he's the dean's son," Hiroki mumbled.

The whole group fell silent and Hiroki suddenly realized he'd said that out loud. _O crap._ He carefully avoided looking professor Miyagi in the eyes.

For the first time since they'd started eating, Akihiko spoke up.

"So he's your ex-brother in law, seventeen years younger _and_ your boss's son?"

Next to him, Hiroki noticed Nowaki's mouth falling open. Akihiko, on the other hand, looked like he'd just won the lottery. His eyes were shining and he had a smug smile on his face.

"Interesting," he mumbled, while looking back and forth between Miyagi and Takatsuki.

_Uh-oh._ Hiroki knew that look, and it was never good news. Apparently he wasn't the only one who thought so, because Takahashi piped in.

"Usagi-san, what are you thinking about?"

_Usagi-san?_

Akihiko turned to him, smiled and ruffled the boy's hair.

"Nothing for you to worry about. In fact, I think you'd like it."

"For some reason, that's making me even more worried."

The novelist raised an eyebrow in an attempt to look quasi-offended.

"When have I ever done something you didn't like?"

"I don't even know where to start! You do all those things to me, and you use me in your novels, and…"

Takahashi suddenly seemed to realize they weren't alone, because he cut himself off and became bright red. Hiroki heard Takatsuki snicker softly on the other side of the table, and he noticed Nowaki was smiling as well. As if feeling his gaze, his lover turned his head and looked straight into Hiroki's eyes.

"W-what?" he asked when Nowaki held his gaze. The man smiled at him and replied: "His reluctance just reminds me of someone."

Hiroki wanted to ask who that person might be, when it hit him. _O_. Nowaki was talking about _him._ He felt his cheeks grow hot and desperately tried to calm down. He was not going to blush in front of these people, no way would he ever…

"Aw, are you blushing, Ka-mi-jou?"

Damn that Miyagi and his singsong voice. In an attempt to avoid both Miyagi's and Nowaki's eyes, his gaze landed on Akihiko, which wasn't any better. His childhood friend was wearing his familiar smirk, and before he even opened his mouth, Hiroki knew he was in for a teasing comment.

"You know, if you need some privacy, you could just ask. You can use Misaki's room, if you want to."

"Oi!" Takahashi protested, at the same moment that Hiroki yelled: "What are you – we don't need a room!"

Akihiko rose one eyebrow.

"Well, it certainly looked like it. And why do you care, Misaki? It's not like you ever actually use your room."

"That's – that's not true!" Takahashi sputtered, but it was obvious from his blazing cheeks that he was lying. Hiroki had never really liked the guy - he obviously had no interest in or talent for literature – but he was starting to change his opinion of him. Takahashi managed to life with Akihiko, after all, which was quite impressive. On top of that, he had to admit he could relate to him at the moment.

It would be best for both of them if the topic were changed, so Hiroki decided to do just that.

"Professor Miyagi, you still haven't told me how you know Akihiko and Takahashi-kun."

"Smooth change of subject, Hiroki," Akihiko said smugly.

Hiroki shot him a glare and turned to Miyagi, who put down his chopsticks and said: "Well, I was shopping with Shinobu-chi…Shinobu last weekend and we bumped into Misaki. Later that day we met again and he invited us over for lunch. So actually we don't really know each other."

Hiroki raised his eyebrows, and he saw Akihiko doing the same. Something was definitely off with this story. You didn't just ask strangers over for lunch, even Takahashi wouldn't do that. He shared a look with Akihiko and was just about to open his mouth when Takatsuki spoke up.

"As if they're going to believe it when you tell it like that."

He rolled his eyes at his older lover and then turned to Hiroki.

"Actually, we were kissing when Takahashi-kun saw us the second time."

Miyagi made a strange sound and looked like he wanted to sink into the ground. _No wonder_, Hiroki thought. With a relationship like they had, kissing out in the open wasn't the best idea.

"Isn't that illegal or something?" he asked.

Akihiko snickered.

"Isn't their whole relationship illegal?"

The comment earned him a death glare from Takatsuki, but the novelist didn't seem to care.

"By the way, Hiroki, I meant to ask this before: I take it Miyagi-san is that professor you're always complaining about?"

"Huh?" Miyagi looked at Akihiko questioningly, then moved his gaze to Hiroki. Before he could ask anything, though, Akihiko continued.

"I like to get Hiroki drunk occasionally. He certainly talks a lot more with some alcohol in his body."

Miyagi's slightly offended expression changed into an amused one.

"Yes, I know. We go out for drinks every now and then. He has a lot of interesting things to tell when he's drunk," he turned towards Nowaki, "especially about you, Kusama-san."

Hiroki was pretty sure his face was beet red by now.

"Oi, professor – "

He was cut off by Akihiko, who was really smirking now.

"Oh, so he tells you those things as well? Maybe we could have a conversation some time, to fill in the gaps. That would be very useful for my work as well."

"Work?" Miyagi and Nowaki asked at the same time.

Hiroki knew what was coming and attempted to stop him, only to be cut off again.

"Akihiko I swear – "

"Have you ever heard about the Junai Egoist series?"

_That bastard._

Miyagi frowned.

"I don't think so…" he hesitantly said.

To everyone's surprise, Takatsuki spoke up.

"They're BL novels."

Miyagi raised an eyebrow at his younger lover.

"And you know this because…?"

The boy shrugged his shoulders.

"Some girls at my university read them."

The professor looked at him a little longer and then focused on Akihiko again.

"Alright, what about them?"

Akihiko smirked.

"Well, I'm the author. And I like to get my inspiration from people I know. For example, there's another series called Junai Romantica, which is inspired by Misaki."

Everyone's attention was now focused on Takahashi, who's cheeks were on fire again.

"Usagi-san!"

The small protest only earned him a chuckle from the novelist.

"And Junai Egoist is, of course, inspired by Hiroki and Kusama-kun."

Miyagi's eyes widened, as did Takahashi's. Hiroki didn't dare to look at Nowaki to see his reaction, but he could imagine him being the most surprised of all.

"Hiro-san…Did you know?"

Forcing himself to look up, he was met with his lover's wide eyes. As always, those blue orbs clearly displayed his emotions, and right now, they showed his surprise as well as some…sadness? Disappointment? Hiroki wasn't too sure about it. In an attempt to push away the wave of guilt that suddenly came over him, he averted his eyes and shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, yeah. B-but it's not like I could do anything about it! I've complained plenty of times, but 'The Great Novelist' over there just does as he pleases."

He shot his childhood friend a nasty look. Not that it threw Akihiko off. Instead, he just smiled back at the both of them.

"Well, please forgive me, Kusama-kun. It would be a shame to stop the series; you two are really popular, you know."

Nowaki looked like he was about to say something to Akihiko, but then turned back to Hiroki.

"It's not Hiro-san's fault," he whispered, as if sensing his distress. A warm hand slid over Hiroki's and gave it a little squeeze. He wanted to scold Nowaki for doing such a thing when they had company, but the touch was comforting and immediately made him feel better, so he decided to let it slide this time.

That was, until Akihiko had to but in again.

"You know, that room offer still stands."

Hiroki felt his temper flare up, but before he could give that Bakahiko a piece of mind, the novelist continued.

"How about we take this conversation to the living room? I'm sure there are a lot more interesting things we could discuss, and it would be more comfortable to do so on the couch."

_Damn it._ Hiroki gritted his teeth. This day sure was getting worse and worse.

* * *

><p>Nowaki could tell his lover wasn't really happy right now. Not that he was doing any better. To be honest, the constant stream of teasing comments that Usami and Miyagi threw at Hiro-san made him more jealous than he'd like to admit. It made him all the more aware of the fact how well the two men knew Hiro-san. <em>His<em> Hiro-san, the one _he_ was supposed to know best.

While he followed his lover to the couches, he took a look at the two youngest men. He hadn't heard either of them talking very much and he wondered if they were also feeling uncomfortable. After all, Usami, Miyagi and Hiro-san knew each other very well, but Takahashi and Takatsuki were just like him. Plus Takahashi apparently was an ex-student of Hiro-san…Regarding what he'd heard about his lover's teaching methods, he could understand the boy's anxiety. Also, he seemed to have a timid character in general.

Takatsuki-kun, on the other hand, didn't seem very shy. Nowaki looked at him from the corner of his eyes. The boy was just about to sit down next to Miyagi, who in turn was seated next to Usami, when he caught Nowaki looking. Takatsuki held his gaze for a moment, then huffed and averted his eyes.

Nowaki sat down next to Hiro-san on the other couch, and to his surprise they were joined by Takahashi. The boy looked nervous for some reason, looking down and twiddling his fingers.

"Erm…It's not a bother if I sit here, is it?"

Nowaki blinked in surprise.

"No, of course not, Takahashi-kun. But…don't you want to sit…"

…_with Usami-san,_ he wanted to say, but cut himself off. There had to be a reason for Takahashi to sit next to him. He probably just found it awkward. When Usami had kissed him before, the poor guy had turned as red as a tomato, which had reminded Nowaki of his Hiro-san, who also seemed to have a hard time becoming comfortable with such gestures.

"So, Takahashi, may I ask what kind of studies you're doing?"

Visibly glad with this safe topic, the boy gave him a bright smile.

"I study economics at Mitsuhashi," he answered, and then asked: "What kind of work do you do, Kusama-san?"

"He's a pediatrician," Usami answered, much to Nowaki's irritation. Hadn't that man ever heard of manners? And how did he know that, anyway? Hiro-san must have told him on ones of those occasions Usami had talked about earlier. The thought only made him angrier, but instead of showing it, he just nodded and smiled at Takahashi.

"Yes, that's true. Although originally, I wanted to go to a university for social work. That's why I asked Hiro-san to tutor me."

Takahashi's eyes widened a little.

"Ah – So you also met that way…"

Nowaki looked at him questioningly, waiting for an explanation. The boy's cheeks became a little pink.

"Well, you see, Usag- Usami-san tutored me as well…My brother asked him to."

He shifted around uncomfortably and his eyes nervously shot to the other couch, which made Nowaki suspect there was more to the story. It seemed he wasn't the only one, because Hiro-san suddenly joined the conversation.

"Your brother?"

His lover looked back and forth between Takahashi and Usami, and there was something in his eyes Nowaki couldn't quite place.

Usami's face was unreadable as always, but the sigh he let out indicated that he also wasn't completely comfortable with this conversation.

"Yes, his brother is another good childhood friend of mine. You know him too, Hiroki. His name is Takahashi Takahiro."

To Nowaki's surprise, Hiro-san stiffened completely. His eyes were wide open and it looked like a thousand different emotions were fighting for dominance.

"T-Takahiro is his brother?!"

Takahashi-kun looked stunned.

"You know my brother, Kamijou-sensei?"

Hiro-san ignored Takahashi's question. With a few steps, he was standing right in front of Usami. Then, to everyone's surprise, he slapped him.

The silence that followed was unbearable, and Nowaki jumped up and made towards his lover.

"Hiro-san!"

He put his arms around him to pull him away from the novelist, and noticed the man was shaking badly.

"Hiro-san, are you okay?"

Takahashi had jumped up as well and was giving Usami a concerned look, while Miyagi and Takatsuki were both watching the scene with stunned expressions on their faces.

Nowaki turned his attention back to his trembling lover, only to find that he was crying. Tears flooded from his eyes and fell down his cheeks and chin. It reminded Nowaki of the first time they met in that park. After all, he didn't see Hiro-san cry very often.

_The first time they met…_

At that time, Hiro-san had his heart broken by Usami, but up until this day, Nowaki didn't know what had happened. He was pretty sure it had been an unrequited love from Hiro-san's side, and he was also quite certain that Usami had never known about it. Still, he'd always had the feeling that there was something more to it.

"Hiroki."

Usami's voice broke the silence. He gently pushed a worried Takahashi aside, after softly stroking the boy's cheek, and took a few steps towards Hiroki.

"I understand what you're thinking, but it's not like that. Yes, I was in love with Takahiro, but I'd always known it wasn't going anywhere. Then I got to know Misaki…And when Takahiro got married, he cried for me. He'd only known me for a little while, but he saw straight through me. That's when I knew he was the one. I can assure you that I have no feelings left for Takahiro but friendship. I love Misaki with all my heart and I'll never love anyone else in my life."

_Usami used to be in love with Takahashi's brother?_

Could that have been the reason...? Well, he could think about that later. Now was definitely not the time. He felt how Hiro-san took a deep breath, but his lover didn't seem to have any intentions of turning around to face Usami. A sudden realization dawned on him.

Hiro-san didn't want anyone else to see him cry.

"I'm sorry about that, Usami-san," Nowaki said without taking his eyes off his lover. Then he added: "I'll be taking Hiro-san outside for a bit, if you don't mind."

* * *

><p>Hiroki desperately tried to stop the tears from falling, but found himself unable to. <em>That stupid Akihiko!<em> He'd been in love with him for such a long time, but that baka had always held onto the thought of his precious Takahiro. And now this brat came along and Akihiko could suddenly forget all about him? What had he done wrong? Were years of loyal friendship not enough? Was _he_ not enough?

"Hiro-san…"

He looked up into Nowaki's eyes. Those beautiful, blue eyes, so very different from Akihiko's. Waves of guilt came crashing over him. Who was he to talk, anyway? Here he was, wondering why he'd never been enough for Akihiko, while this amazing man had told him over and over again how much he loved him.

Hiroki probably was the real baka here.

He loved Nowaki, he really did. And deep inside his heart, he knew he loved him more than he'd ever loved Akihiko. That's why he'd never expected that Takahiro's name would bring back so many old feelings. Maybe it was because he'd never talked to Akihiko about it. After all, his childhood friend didn't even know that he had been in love with him.

"Hiro-san…"

Two strong arms were wrapped around him and he was surrounded by Nowaki's scent. Nowaki…he'd never told him either, because he was afraid his dislike for Akihiko would only grow stronger if he knew that Hiroki and Akihiko had actually _done_ it. But maybe it was time he told him. He deserved to know, after all.

But not now. This was not the place to have such a conversation. Plus he already felt bad for ruining the day.

"I'm okay…thank you," he added after a slight hesitation. Nowaki didn't answer, instead just pulled him closer. They were standing outside the apartment building where Akihiko lived, and Hiroki was grateful that there weren't many people out on the streets at the moment.

"Nowaki…we're in public, you baka."

His words lacked their usual strength, though, and Nowaki moved his head to look at him, concern evident in his eyes.

"Are you sure you're okay, Hiro-san?"

At first he was just going to repeat his earlier words, but he knew he couldn't fool Nowaki. So he decided to be honest with him. It was the least he could do, after all.

"No, not really."

At Nowaki's stunned expression, he let out a sigh and averted his eyes.

"Look, I can't ruin everyone's fun, okay? Not any more than I've already done, anyway. But…"

He hesitated and dared to look into his lover's eyes for a moment, before shifting his gaze again.

"I promise to talk to you when we get home, okay? You deserve to know."

Out of the corners of his eyes, he saw a bit of Nowaki's usual happy expression coming back. His eyes were less worried and a little smile started to form on his face. It made Hiroki feel better as well.

"That's…Thank you, Hiro-san. But you know you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I-"

"It's fine, like I said, you deserve to know the truth," Hiroki interrupted. "But let's go back inside now, before they start to get weird ideas."

Nowaki's smile grew and his eyes started to twinkle.

"Weird ideas…?"

Hiroki narrowed his eyes.

"Don't start getting cocky again now, brat. Jeez, I give you an inch and you take a mile."

"Yes, Hiro-san."

Only two seconds after Nowaki said that, Hiroki felt a familiar pair of soft lips on his own. The contact made him nervous and calmed him down at the same time.

"…What did I just tell you?"

"I know. I'm sorry, Hiro-san."

The huge smile on his face said otherwise, and Hiroki wanted to get mad at him, but he had to admit he was happy to see Nowaki smile again. His expression turned worried once more, though, when they got back to Akihiko's apartment.

"Are you sure you're okay with going back there…"

…_while he is there?_ Hiroki could feel the unspoken part of the question hanging in the air. Truthfully, it would be embarrassing to face Akihiko right now, but other than that, he was pretty sure he would be okay. He was eternally grateful to Nowaki for taking him outside. Not only had it prevented Akihiko (and the others as well) from seeing his tears and asking him about it, the moment he'd just spent alone with Nowaki had also allowed him to come back to his senses and had made him realize once again that he didn't love Akihiko anymore. Nowaki was the one who filled his heart and mind, who he wanted to be with as much as he could, who he wanted to spent the rest of his life with. Thinking back on Akihiko's words about Takahashi, Hiroki knew the same counted for him: he loved Nowaki, and he wouldn't love anyone else in his life.

"I'll be fine," he answered honestly, and he moved his hand to push the doorbell. Before he did so, though, he turned around and sent his lover an uncharacteristically soft smile.

"…Thank you."

The smile he got in return made his heart speed up.

"You're welcome, Hiro-san."

* * *

><p><strong>Wow, this became much heavier than I expected when I started writing this…As usual, things turned out a little differently than I thought they would. Now I was wondering: I've still got one scene for the lunch appointment in mind, should I write it or should I skip to another day? It probably wouldn't take the whole chapter (I'm pretty sure it wouldn't, but I don't trust myself anymore…my stories lead lives of their own…xD), so I could make a combination of the two. I really enjoy writing the 'lunch appointment chapters', and I feel like there's more to be told since the whole TakahiroAkihiko/Hiroki drama came up (which I didn't know was going to happen xD), but I don't want the whole thing to become too long…So I'd be really happy if you let me know what you think :)**

**A lot of Hiroki POV, and not as many switches as usual, but I thought it worked for this chapter. :)**

**Also, I'm not sure when the next update is going to be, since I've got an exam period coming up (next week…) :/ Not looking forward to that…But I ordered Sekaiichi Hatsukoi volumes 1-6, and they should arrive around that time as well, so that's my light in the darkness ;P Anyway, I'll try to update, but please forgive me if it takes a little longer than usual…school's really important to me. (*cough* nerd *cough* ;D)**

**As always, please let me know what you think, and I hope to see you next time! **


	8. Single guys and serious conversations

**A/N: Hello again! Yes, I'm still alive, in case you were wondering. My sincere apologies for the long wait! Believe me, I would have rather written than make all those exams, but it needed to be done. Now I've only got one exam left to study for, because I'm going to do it over this Monday, and then the countdown until my final exams can start… Everything's going really well, though, so I'm not really worried. :)**

**Enough about me, you're here for the story. I had some troubles getting into it again, and I'm not sure if this is my best chapter, but I hope you'll enjoy it anyway. It is the longest one yet, hopefully that makes up for the wait a little. Thanks a lot for giving your opinions on how I should continue! In the end, I decided to go on with the lunch chapter first, since some things needed to be solved, but the last half of this chapter takes place after the weekend.**

**Also, I decided to introduce a new character: Ijuuin-sensei.**

**For the ones who haven't read the manga: Ijuuin-sensei is the mangaka who created "the Kan", Misaki and Todou's favorite manga series. They met when Misaki was working part-time at Marukawa. Ijuuin was having a breakdown and Misaki, being the enthusiastic fan he is, cheered him up again. Later, Misaki and Todou went to a signing, and Ijuuin recognized him. From then on, he would invite Misaki and Todou to come over to his apartment to see new material on the series, for example. But, as Misaki soon found out, Ijuuin also claimed to have fallen in love with him, and tried to kiss him or touch him on several occasions. Akihiko found out about this and he hates the guy's guts. Ijuuin found out about Akihiko and Misaki's relationship (which Misaki totally freaked out about), but hasn't told anyone. He refuses to give up on Misaki, though.**

**Fun fact (for Trifecta fans): Kirishima Zen is his editor.**

**I hope I've got everything correct, it's been a while since I've read that part of the manga. Also, I realize I haven't included the 'Misaki working part-time at Marukawa' yet. I'm not sure if I'm going to use it in this story (which would make this slightly AU). But we'll see. Maybe it will become convenient ;)**

**As always, thank you so very much for all of your sweet and supportive reviews! I know I'm repeating myself, but they really mean a lot :D I can't thank you enough, really. Also a special thanks to the guest reviewer named _Laura_, who I couldn't thank via a PM: Here's more of the lunch scene! ;D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Junjou Romantica.**

* * *

><p>Kusama closed the door behind him and Hiroki, leaving the four other men in an awkward atmosphere. After a few uncomfortable seconds, Miyagi broke the silence.<p>

"So…What was that all about?"

Akihiko kept his gaze locked on the door, but in his mind images were replaying themselves: Hiroki strolling towards him, looking mad; then the feeling of someone slapping him, hard; and eventually the look in Hiroki's eyes: upset, confused…hurt.

"That's what I'd like to know," he mumbled under his breath.

They were silent for a while again, until Misaki jumped up, as if suddenly remembering something, and dashed off towards the kitchen. Two seconds later he was standing next to Akihiko again, holding a piece of cloth that seemed to be drenched in water.

"Here," he offered it to the novelist.

When Akihiko just looked at him blankly, Misaki rolled his eyes a little and gestured towards the object.

"You need to put this to your cheek. It will ease the pain and stop a bruise from forming."

Momentarily distracted from the thoughts swirling around in his head, Akihiko could only stare at his lover. Really? 'To stop a bruise from forming'? The boy acted like he'd been thoroughly beaten up, instead of simply having been slapped.

The serious expression on Misaki's face let him know that he was sincerely worried, though, and that fact alone was enough to let a little smile appear on Akihiko's face.

"Alright, I get it. But only if you hold it there for me."

Misaki's eyes widened and his expression became slightly shocked.

"Ehh?! Why do I have to-"

Akihiko interrupted him by putting a finger on his lips.

"Because," he said while leaning closer to Misaki, taking in those beautiful green orbs, "I really like it when you take care of me."

His lover's reaction didn't disappoint: cheeks flushed and eyes even wider now, Misaki quickly shot a glance at the other couple, even though they could have never heard Akihiko's last words since he'd whispered them.

He followed the younger man's gaze and found that Miyagi and Takatsuki had settled on one of the couches again. They were having a quiet conversation and Akihiko couldn't hear much of it, but he caught the words 'smoking' and 'not so young anymore', which were coming from Takatsuki. According to the shaking of his head and the frown on his face, Miyagi didn't agree with the boy.

Akihiko's attention was drawn back to his own lover when he felt something cold pressed against his cheek.

"Happy now?" Misaki asked with a face that was half annoyance, half embarrassment.

Akihiko chuckled and grinned at him.

"Very happy."

And then, in a more serious tone, he added: "…Thank you, Misaki."

The blush only became deeper and Akihiko felt his heart speed up a little. _So cute. _He desperately wanted to push him down on the couch and kiss him senseless. There was no better feeling in the world than being close to Misaki, to hold him, to touch his soft skin and those beautiful brown locks, to feel the boy's heart beat in line with his own…

He needed to restrain himself, though, for there was more than one reason why he couldn't do that right now.

For one, Misaki didn't like it. To be honest, Akihiko didn't always listen to his protests, but he acknowledged the fact that there were, indeed, limits. He'd already kissed him in front of the others earlier, which had probably been enough embarrassment for Misaki for today. Plus a full make out session would definitely cross the boundaries of PDA.

And then there was the fact that there were other matters that needed to be taken care of. One matter, actually: Hiroki.

The memories came back again: his childhood friend's surprise at learning that Takahiro was Misaki's brother, the slap, Kusama shielding Hiroki from him, but not before Akihiko had gotten a look at his shimmering eyes…

Had he been crying?

Akihiko frowned. He was pretty sure he'd seen some tears. The only question was: why? He could understand Hiroki being upset with him. It all seemed really suspicious, after all. He was dating the little brother of the man he'd been secretly pining after for years; of course it would seem like he was using Misaki as a substitute. But was that really enough reason to slap him and to need some time outside of the apartment?

No. There had to be more. It was almost like…

More images came to him, older ones this time. Their first meeting, when Hiroki also had been crying. How he'd kissed him to cheer him up. How Hiroki had forgotten his gloves that one time and Akihiko had offered him one of his plus his hand. His friend's scowl, which Akihiko knew he used when he was embarrassed.

But…They were kids back then. There was no way…

He heard an older version of himself telling Hiroki about Takahiro and how he was so in love with him it hurt, especially because he knew he could never show his feelings. He remembered Hiroki mumbling that he understood how hard that would be, and himself thinking what a wonderful friend he had.

More images went through his head, pieces of the many times they had spent together, until eventually, a certain memory took form, one he'd been trying so desperately to forget, to bury somewhere in the depths of his mind.

Suddenly, _that_ night was happening all over again, the images and sensations hitting him like a car at full speed.

Soft fabric covering his eyes, the feeling of those hands on his body, familiar and foreign at the same time, his own hands tangled in long, soft locks, the other person whispering his name, and then his own voice, calling out the name of the man he longed for.

"… _Takahiro."_

That night, he'd felt like he'd betrayed the person he loved.

Hiroki had been the one who proposed it, and the one who made sure they went through with it. He'd persuaded Akihiko when he voiced his doubts, saying that maybe he could get over it this way, or that it would at least ease the pain a little. Akihiko had always wondered why Hiroki had done it, but he figured it had been an act of friendship. His childhood friend was the only one who knew about his unrequited love, and he'd probably been worried about him. And since he was gay himself, it wasn't that much of a big deal…

Or so Akihiko had thought.

_Shit. _He groaned and let his head fall in his hands, much to the surprise of Misaki, who was still holding the piece of cloth against his cheek.

"Usagi-san?! What's wrong?"

He'd been so stupid. So very blind and stupid. How could he not have seen it? All the signs were there. He was a novelist, damn it! If someone should recognize that kind of thing, it was Akihiko. So why hadn't he realized it sooner?

_Because you were too absorbed in your feelings for Takahiro, that's why._

"Usagi-san!"

Akihiko looked up, straight into Misaki's worried eyes. The beautiful combination of the different shades of green immediately made him feel better. He pulled his lover – who, for once, didn't protest – into a hug and mumbled to him: "I'm sorry for worrying you, Misaki. I'm fine, really. Thank you for taking care of me."

He planted a soft kiss on the boy's cheek and let go of him, leaving him on the couch with a face as red as a tomato. This brought a small smile to his face. It was good to see that at least some things never changed.

Akihiko knew what he had to do now. He needed to talk to Hiroki, the sooner the better. If he was correct, and after the realization he'd just had he couldn't imagine being wrong about this, then Hiroki still had some unresolved feelings. Whether those feelings concerned Akihiko or the situation in general, they needed to be taken care of. Knowing Hiroki, the man had probably just put everything away in a far corner of his mind, determined not to talk about it to anyone. That wouldn't do, though. They needed to solve this, together.

Just when Akihiko was about to leave the apartment to find Hiroki and Kusama, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!"

Misaki jumped up, probably happy to have something to do again, and made towards the door, but Akihiko stretched out an arm to stop him.

"I'll go, if you don't mind."

Misaki looked at him with a little frown on his face.

"But, Usagi-san…"

He felt his eyes widen when it hit him. _Oh._ Misaki was being tactic, wasn't he? He'd probably figured Hiroki wouldn't want to see Akihiko right now, so that's why he was so eager to get to the door.

He put a hand on the boy's shoulder, squeezing softly.

"I know I'm probably the last person he wants to see right now, but I need to speak to him for a moment. It's important. It won't take long, though, and after that we can all have a drink. Could you make some tea for us, Misaki?"

His lover looked like he wanted to say something, but instead just nodded.

"Okay, I'll get to it."

Akihiko smiled and ruffled his hair.

"Usagi-san!"

This only made him laugh more. He was so glad to have Misaki by his side. The boy gave him strength, and that was exactly what he needed right now.

It wasn't going to be easy to tell Hiroki.

* * *

><p>When the apartment door opened, Hiroki was met with the one face he absolutely didn't want to see right now.<p>

"A-akihiko!"

The novelist merely gave him a small smile and then turned his attention to Nowaki.

"Kusama-kun, would you mind? I've got something important I need to speak to Hiroki about."

_What?_

Hiroki stiffened and felt his lover, who had placed one hand on his back, doing the same.

He hesitated for a moment. Hiroki really didn't feel like being alone with his friend right now, but he would have to face him eventually. Hiding behind Nowaki's back wouldn't work forever. On top of that, his lover had already been worrying about him enough.

This time, he'd get through it himself.

Hiroki turned his head in an attempt to silently communicate with the man behind him.

_It's okay, I'll be fine_.

Apparently, Nowaki got the message, because after stroking Hiroki's back one last time he removed his hand, shot Akihiko a short glance and then entered the apartment. The novelist closed the door behind him and turned to Hiroki. There was something in his eyes…

_Crap._

Hiroki could immediately tell that something serious was going on. Suddenly nervous, he looked away from Akihiko's face and let his eyes wander a bit until he found something safe to look at, which happened to be the doorknob.

An uncomfortable silence stretched between them. Hiroki couldn't remember the last time they had been like this. Normally, they would always have plenty of topics to talk about, and even though he was always getting mad at his friend for mercilessly teasing him, they never _really_ fought.

Suddenly, he realized he had yet to apologize for his earlier behavior. He forced himself to look up at Akihiko's face and found the novelist staring at him. Had he been looking at him this whole time? He quickly averted his eyes again.

"Akihiko, I…" he started, just when his friend said: "Hiroki…"

They shared a look. Hiroki noticed a smile making its way onto Akihiko's face and he could feel himself starting to smile as well.

"You go first, please."

He took a deep breath and made sure to look right into his friend's eyes.

"Akihiko, I'm really sorry for what I did earlier…for slapping you. I don't know what came over me, and I don't have any excuses, but I know I shouldn't have done it and it won't happen again."

Akihiko's expression turned serious again and there was something in his eyes that Hiroki couldn't quite place.

"Are you sure you don't know?"

He frowned and gave the novelist a questioning look.

"Excuse me?"

Akihiko took a few steps forward, until he was standing right in front of Hiroki.

"Are you sure you don't know why you slapped me?"

Hiroki could only stare at him, his heart beating so fast he could feel it in his throat.

"Wh-what do you mean?"

He didn't know, did he? He_ couldn't_ know. Hiroki had always hidden it so carefully, had made sure never to show it, with the exception of that one time which had inevitably meant the end of his unrequited love.

"Hiroki…"

That voice…It brought back so many memories, especially of _that_ time, and he just couldn't take it anymore. Before he even realized it, tears were streaming down his face again.

"Hiroki…"

Akihiko seemed to hesitate, which was unusual for him, and then took the final step forward and put his arms around him. Hiroki stiffened completely at first, but after a few seconds he let himself fall against the taller man, clenching the back of his shirt and pressing his face into Akihiko's shoulder.

"You baka…can't believe you…never noticed…" he managed to get out between sobs, while the other man just stayed silent and stroked his hair.

"…supposed to be a novelist…For so long I…I-"

He stopped himself, and then decided it didn't matter anymore.

"…I loved you."

Akihiko didn't say anything, just pulled him closer. They stayed like that for a while; the novelist rubbing soothing circles on his back while Hiroki cried until he felt like there wouldn't be any tears left in his body. He was pretty sure the others would be able to hear him, but for once in his life he couldn't bring himself to care.

When he'd finally calmed down, Akihiko still refused to let go of him, so he buried his head in the crook of his friend's neck and let himself relax. The scents of cigarettes and soap surrounded him and Hiroki noticed, to his satisfaction, that while the embrace was comfortable and the smell quite nice and familiar, it definitely couldn't live up to one of Nowaki's hugs.

_Good._

He'd probably always have some special feelings for Akihiko, seeing as he was his first love and still his best friend, but what he felt for Nowaki was undoubtedly stronger.

Finally, Akihiko pulled back from the hug. Smiling softly at him, he wiped away some of the half-dried tears on Hiroki's face and pushed back a few strands of hair.

"Feeling better?"

Hiroki nodded, not trusting his voice.

"As far as I'm concerned, this doesn't have to change anything," Akihiko said softly.

A wave of relief and thankfulness came over Hiroki. It were moments like these that made him realize the full value of his friendship with Akihiko.

"…Thank you."

Akihiko smiled and nodded, then motioned towards the door.

"Shall we go? I bet the others are wondering what we're doing out here."

He would never admit it, but Hiroki was actually glad the usual teasing tone was back in Akihiko's voice. It meant he was okay with the situation, and serious about things being able to stay the way they were.

Just as his friend was about to turn around, Hiroki called out to him.

"Akihiko…" he cringed a little when he heard his voice crack.

The novelist looked at him questionably.

God, this was difficult. But it needed to be done. After taking a deep breath, he continued.

"I…I just want you to know that I don't have those feelings for you anymore. I love Nowaki. And it's just like what you said about Takahashi: I'll never love anyone else again."

Akihiko's eyes widened a little, and then he gave him another smile.

"That's good to hear. I'm not sure if I've told you before, but I'm really happy for you. And…" the serious expression was back, "I'm really sorry. I should have noticed something, but I guess I was too wrapped up in my own problems…I'm sorry."

Hiroki could only stare at him for a moment, surprised to hear an apology from the other man. After all, it wasn't like he'd done anything wrong. No matter how many times he'd wished Akihiko hadn't been so dense about it, it had actually never been his fault.

"Ah…yes…well, I'm sorry, too. For never telling you, I mean. And…I'm really happy for you as well," he paused, then added: "Although it is still a mystery to me how that kid is able to live with you."

Akihiko chuckled.

"Yes, sometimes I ask that myself as well."

A sudden thought popped up in Hiroki's head.

"Speaking of Takahashi…does he know…about…_it_?"

Akihiko's expression turned dark.

"No, he doesn't. I'm assuming neither does that doctor of yours?"

Hiroki shook his head.

"I promised to tell him, though. And I will. He deserves to know," he hesitated for a moment, then continued: "And I think the same counts for Takahashi."

Akihiko was quiet for a moment, then nodded.

"Yes, you're right. It's just that he's so insecure already, and I'm not sure how he's going to take it."

He could see that, yes. Takahashi didn't appear to be the most confident person, and the fact that Akihiko had been in love with Takahiro had to be hard for him as well. Still…

"I understand what you mean. I doubt Nowaki will be happy about it, too. But if I were in his position, I would want to know. Wouldn't you?"

Akihiko stayed silent for a few seconds. Then his eyes widened a little and a grin started to spread on his face.

"Never thought the day would come were _you'd _be giving _me_ love advice, Hiroki."

"Oi! What's that supposed to mean?!"

The novelist merely laughed at him, then motioned towards the door again.

"Let's go, before the tea gets cold."

"Bakahiko," Hiroki mumbled under his breath. But when he followed the man inside, he couldn't help but smile a little.

It was good to have Akihiko as a friend.

* * *

><p><em>Two days later<em>

"Misaki!"

Misaki turned around to find Todou running towards him, waving at him and wearing his usual smile. He seemed to be doing a lot better than last week, and for that Misaki was glad. Such a nice guy as his friend definitely didn't deserve to go through the pain of a heartbreak.

"Todou-kun! How was your weekend?"

Todou had reached him and Misaki noticed, with some jealousy, that he wasn't even the slightest out of breath. Well, he supposed you had to be in good shape if you wanted to become a policeman.

"It was good, thanks. What about you? Didn't you have some sort of appointment?"

"Ah, yes. It was…nice."

It had been nice, certainly (except for the fact that it had also been extremely embarrassing, what with Usagi-san kissing him in front of everybody). But then his ex-professor in literature had decided to give Usagi-san a bitch slap. Misaki felt his anger flaring up at the memory. After his worries about Usagi-san being hurt had faded away, he'd felt the urge to run after Kamijou-sensei – or Kamijou-san, as he should probably call him now – and give him a piece of mind. Just who did he think he was?! But then he'd calmed down and realized there had to be something seriously wrong. Kamijou-san was well known for getting mad easily and throwing stuff at his students, but this time he hadn't looked very angry, more…upset.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by a hand waving in front of his face.

"Earth to Misaki? Are you still there?"

He blinked a couple of times and realized Todou was staring at him, his easy smile still on his face.

"Erm, yeah, sorry. I kind of spaced out."

His friend chuckled.

"Yeah, I noticed. Did you sleep enough last night? You look pretty tired."

"Ah-yes! I'm fine, please don't worry about me."

The truth was he _hadn't_ slept enough last night, and neither had he the night before. After Kusama-san had re-entered the apartment without Kamijou-san, Misaki hadn't been very surprised. Usagi-san had said that he wanted to talk to his friend, so that made sense. What he hadn't expected, though, was the sound of someone crying his heart out. Misaki had never heard Usagi-san cry out loud, the rare times that he cried he just quietly sobbed, but he was pretty sure this wasn't Usagi-san.

Which meant Kamijou-san had been crying.

The more he thought about it, the more Misaki got the idea there was something serious going on, something that wasn't just 'you're an asshole because you're dating the brother of the man you used to love'. Something that maybe had to do with the 'unusual relationship' Usagi-san had been talking about. And while Misaki didn't like to admit it, he really wanted to know.

So when Usagi-san was sound asleep next to him, Misaki had been restlessly tossing and turning, staring at the ceiling, and trying to figure out what exactly had happened that afternoon. He couldn't help but worry about it. The only thing that kept him somewhat calm were Usagi-san's words, which were now engraved into his memory: _I love Misaki with all my heart and I'll never love anyone else in my life._

Just thinking about it made his heart skip a beat and his face heat up.

"Misaki? Are you sure you're okay? You're really red."

_Crap._

"Ah-yes! Everything's fine, really!"

Todou looked at him a little longer, then smiled and apparently decided to drop the subject.

"So, what's your first lecture today?"

While he made some small talk with Todou, Misaki studied his friend's face. Todou was just as nice and easy going as his cheerful expression and kind features suggested. It brought him back to something that had been on his mind for a while now.

_What would he think when I told him about Usagi-san and I?_

He imagined the surprise, followed by the look of disgust, and then Todou ignoring him for the rest of the time they spent at this university, or maybe just outright telling him that he didn't want anything do to with him anymore. The thought alone was enough to make Misaki's chest hurt. He really didn't know if he'd be able to take it. And what if Todou told the whole university about it? Then he could never show his face here again.

No. Todou-kun wasn't like that, was he? Even if he wouldn't approve of Misaki's relationship with Usagi-san, he would never betray him like that.

And maybe…just maybe there was a chance that he wouldn't care at all. Maybe he would understand, or at least try to, and they could continue being friends the way they were now, or become closer, even.

"Misaki?"

When he turned his attention back to Todou, he found his friend laughing.

"You were spacing out again. Seriously, what is so important that it takes your attention away from _me_ all the time?"

Todou took on an arrogant pose, nose in the air and one hand on his side, and started to strut towards one of the buildings. After a few steps he looked back over his shoulder.

"Let's go, we're late."

Misaki followed him, trying to keep his laughter to a minimum. They were already getting plenty of weird looks as it was.

When he reached the doors, Todou stopped and waited for him. Misaki quickly caught up with his friend and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Todou-kun," he started, somewhat more serious again, "it's just…"

He trailed off, not sure what to say.

_I'm just debating whether or not I should tell you about my boyfriend. Who, by the way, has an 'unusual relationship' with Kamijou the devil._

Yeah, right.

Then he realized he'd just been thinking about Usagi-san as his boyfriend, which made him turn bright red again.

"You're blushing again!" Todou exclaimed. "Wait, don't tell me those special plans this weekend were actually with a girl?"

When Misaki just turned an even darker shade of red, Todou grinned and put an arm around him.

"Ah, Misaki-kun is finally growing up. We should go out to celebrate! How about we go out for dinner? Let's say…Wednesday? I don't have to start very early Thursday, how about you?"

"Erm...No, me neither, but-"

"Great! I know this really nice place. I was doing research for our anniversary and…"

Todou suddenly stopped, cheerful expression completely gone.

It took Misaki a few moments to realize what he'd just said. _Oh_. He'd wanted to bring his girlfriend – now ex-girlfriend – to that restaurant.

He was just about to say something when Todou spoke up again.

"Look at me, I'm depressing myself."

He laughed, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Todou-kun…"

"I'm sorry, I just…I thought I was almost over it, but apparently not."

He paused and then added:

"But we can still go! That is, if you want to."

"I'd love to have dinner with you, but actually I… erm…I don't have a girlfriend or anything."

Todou looked at him, surprised.

"Really? Ah man, I could have sworn…Then what was with that blush?"

O no. How was he supposed to explain that?

"I erm…"

"It's fine if you don't want to talk about it, you know," Todou said, to Misaki's relief. He shrugged and smiled at him, then continued:

"Well, in that case, we can both go as single guys."

Misaki cringed a little. It didn't feel good, keeping it from his friend, but this was hardly the time and place to tell him. Maybe Wednesday…?

The thought alone made him feel sick. He couldn't do this. He definitely couldn't do this.

Just when he was desperately trying to come up with a good response – one for which he didn't have to lie but didn't have to tell the truth either – he felt the familiar buzz of his cell phone.

"Ah-please excuse me, I've got an email."

"Sure, go ahead."

Still a little shaken, Misaki took his cell out of his pocket.

_1 new email: Ijuuin-sensei_

_Dear Misaki,_

_The sketches for the new chapter of "The Kan" are ready. Would you like to come over to have a look? You can invite your friend too, if you like. _

_I hope to see you soon._

_-Ijuuin_

Misaki's heart was beating so fast he could feel it in his throat. He tried to tell himself it was because he was so excited about seeing the new chapter from what had to be the best manga series ever, but he knew there was another reason.

"Everything okay, Misaki?"

"Ah, yes…" he hesitated. If he told Todou-kun about the email, he would definitely want to go. And to be honest, Misaki wasn't planning on going over to the mangaka's house. For one, Usagi-san would kill him (or Ijuuin-sensei). And, more importantly, there was no telling what Ijuuin would try to do to him this time…

But it would definitely be good for Todou to have some distraction.

He looked at his friend, who still had a slightly sad look in his eyes. This was the least Misaki could do for him. Plus, they would be together all the time. If Todou had to leave earlier for some reason, Misaki would just make up an excuse to leave with him. That way, he wouldn't have to be alone with Ijuuin-sensei.

Then, an idea suddenly hit him.

"It's Ijuuin-sensei, he's asking us to come over to look at his new sketches."

When he saw Todou's eyes lit up, he knew he'd made the right choice.

"How about we go there Wednesday? Then we can have dinner after that."

Todou nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes, that would be great! Thanks, Misaki."

They entered the building while Misaki sent Ijuuin-sensei a quick email. As he put the phone back into his pocket, he couldn't help but feel a bit anxious.

_Nii-chan, what am I getting myself into?_

* * *

><p><strong>Yes, what indeed, Misaki…*evil laughter* O, I've got new ideas now…:D<strong>

**I hope you liked this chapter, even though it hasn't much action in it. Also, my apologies for the serious lack of Terrorist. :/ I hope to make up for it in the next chapter. After Miyagi only having one sentence and Shinobu none, they deserve some love ;) And I've got future plans for them as well…xD Same counts for Hiro and Nowaki, of course.**

**By the way, I hope they weren't too OOC. I figured Hiroki and Akihiko could have a serious conversation, since they've been friends for so long. Todou might have been OOC as well, but I just wanted a silly moment between friends (and there isn't that much material on canon Todou anyway, so I gave myself some freedom ;P).**

**I'll stop now, since my A/N's are always way too long. ;)**

**Please let me know what you think and I hope to see you next time! :D**


	9. Text messages and the truth

**A/N: Hello again! It's been a while (not as long as last time, luckily). I've been kind of stressed and tired lately, but I'm feeling much better right now. So here's a new chapter for you! I really hope you'll enjoy it :D**

**Thank you all so much for supporting me and cheering me up. I'm super happy with every review/favorite/follow I get! A special thanks to Scriverane for pointing out to me that Misaki not working at Marukawa would change the dynamic between him and Ijuuin. You're absolutely right, of course. :) And thanks to those of you who talked about Ijuuin and Todou in your reviews...I honestly hadn't thought of it, but I quite like the idea...we'll see ;) Also, thanks for giving your opinions on Ijuuin. I kept them in mind while re-reading the manga, and it changed my opinion of him somewhat. :)**

**I don't really now what else to say (that's definitely new xD). I hope you'll enjoy it (I said that already, I know ^_^) and please let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Junjou Romantica**

* * *

><p>Shinobu woke up to the smell of cigarettes. Through his still cloudy vision, he could see the outlines of Miyagi's figure, sitting on the edge of the bed.<p>

Groaning, he turned away from the smell and tried to fall asleep again. It didn't work, unfortunately, since he could feel his lover's gaze burning into his back. Apparently Miyagi had noticed that he was awake.

_Either say something or stop staring at me, idiot._

Suddenly, he heard the sheets rustling and felt the mattress sink down a little. Two seconds later, Miyagi's hand was in his hair. Not ruffling it the way he normally did, when he teased him, but slow and lovingly, playing with the locks.

Shinobu tensed a little at the touch, surprised.

"What are you doing, old man?"

Miyagi put on his offended face.

"What did I do to deserve such a harsh greeting? Is a simple 'Good morning, love' too much to ask for?"

Shinobu managed to roll his eyes, even though he was still trying to fight the sleepiness.

"Yeah right. Aren't you the one who makes sure we don't turn into one of these lovey-dovey couples?"

Miyagi wasn't someone who expressed his feelings very easily, or at least he didn't express them all the time. Therefore, they had never been one of those sappy couples. Which Shinobu was fine with, mostly. But sometimes…

Well, sometimes he just wished they were.

He'd seen Takahashi interact with Usami-sensei, and even though he didn't even want to think about how embarrassing such actions could be (the poor guy had been beet red most of the time), Shinobu had to admit he was jealous, to some degree. Sure, Usami was overwhelming and generally just really annoying, but at least he wasn't afraid to show his feelings for Takahashi. If only Miyagi could do that too…

He'd started to think that they were getting there, what with Miyagi suddenly giving in to Shinobu's wish of acting more like a couple. His lover had even kissed him in public a couple of times. But then the lunch appointment had come along, and Miyagi had still been awkward about introducing him as his lover. Kamijou and Usami's comments about their relationship being illegal (he was already attending university, damn it!) had only made it worse. On top of that, Miyagi had been flirting with that stupid Kamijou, right in front of him! Just the memory was enough to piss him off.

Miyagi must have seen something on his face, because he suddenly looked concerned.

"Shinobu-chin? What's wrong?"

"Nothing…just thinking."

He couldn't stay mad at Miyagi for long, though. The moment he looked into his lover's eyes, he felt his anger fading away. He studied his face. His firm lips, dark hair, the dimples by his eyes when he laughed… Shinobu loved them all. Tentatively, he reached out to his lover's face. They'd been together for years now, but it was still a bit awkward to him when it came to initiating…certain actions. He felt brave today, though. Miyagi was his, and he'd make sure it would always stay this way.

The moment Shinobu wrapped his arms around Miyagi's neck and pulled him closer, his lover's eyes widened in surprise. The next moment, their lips met, and the older man made a content sound. Encouraged to go on, Shinobu slid his tongue over Miyagi's bottom lip, asking for entrance. His lover complied and let out a little moan when Shinobu began exploring his mouth.

_If I'd known it would feel this good to take the upper hand, I would have done it sooner._

The kiss was one of the best they'd ever had – not as good as the one Miyagi had given him on the street after their argument, but it was getting close. Even the taste of cigarettes couldn't ruin it.

Talking about cigarettes…

"You should really stop smoking, you know," Shinobu said while moving his mouth to his lover's neck.

He could practically feel Miyagi rolling his eyes.

"Way to ruin the moment, Shinobu-chin," he mumbled.

"I mean it. Takahashi was right. Plus you're not exactly getting younger."

"You-"

Miyagi fell silent when Shinobu started working on the buttons of his shirt.

"Shinobu-chin…Maybe we shouldn't…"

Shinobu hesitated for a moment, then planted a trail of kisses on his lover's chest, starting from his neck and working his way down until he reached his pants. When Miyagi let out another moan, louder this time, he could feel his heart skip a beat and his body grow hot.

"We really shouldn't – I have to work…" Miyagi protested again, but is sounded not quite as determined as before.

"It's fine, we've still got time."

This time, he could really see Miyagi roll his eyes.

"Says the university student who doesn't have lectures until eleven."

"Well, I bet it's still early. And plus, you're not really in a state in which you can just walk away from this."

Miyagi groaned, knowing he was right.

"Alright then."

Before Shinobu could process what was happening, he was being tossed around and thrown on his back, with Miyagi leaning over him.

"If we're going to do this fast, I'd better take charge."

"Oi! Miya-"

His protest was cut off when Miyagi put his lips on Shinobu's. After a moment, he gave in to the sensations. He kissed back, and couldn't help but shiver when his lover slid his hands under his shirt and started tracing circles on his back, lower and lower.

"Miyagi…" he breathed at the familiar feeling of those hands caressing his hips.

For now, he would just give in and enjoy. After all, there would be plenty of other opportunities to take charge.

_Just you wait, Miyagi. One day, I will definitely be on top._

* * *

><p>"Ka-mi-jou~!"<p>

As expected, Miyagi was met with a very irritated look.

"'Morning, professor Miyagi."

"Aw, why so formal? I could do with a 'Good morning, honey!', you know."

Kamijou snorted.

"It's a good thing that brat of yours isn't here. If looks could kill, I would have been dead a long time ago."

Ah, so he'd noticed. Well, Miyagi guessed it wasn't that hard to see. No matter how much he tried to convince Shinobu that Kamijou was nothing more than a colleague to him (and actually a friend as well, although Kamijou wouldn't admit it), his lover still had a strong dislike towards the man.

Shinobu…His thoughts traveled back to this morning, when the boy had suddenly kissed him. Miyagi could still feel his tong exploring his mouth, his hands pulling him closer, his soft lips on his neck and his chest…

Before he got caught up in the memory, though, he snapped himself out of it. There would be plenty of time to think about that later. Right now, there was something he had to do.

"Kamijou…"

His colleague must have heard the serious note in his voice, because he looked up at him with a slightly worried expression.

"Are you alright?"

Kamijou frowned, which made Miyagi want to reach out and put his finger between his eyebrows to smooth out the skin. He restrained himself, though.

"Except for the fact that you keep bothering me with your nonsense, I'm fine."

He noticed how the other man looked away a little when answering. _Aha_. So he _did_ know what Miyagi was referring to.

"I mean because of last Saturday. You looked pretty upset, to say the least, so I was wondering-"

Kamijou's gaze hardened.

"I'm perfectly fine, professor, thank you very much," he cut him off.

"Kamijou…"

Miyagi took a step closer to him and sat down, so that they were on eye level.

"I just want you to know that you can always talk to me if you want to. It's good to confide in your friends sometimes."

Kamijou raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, professor, but I wasn't aware that we were friends."

"Ouch, that hurts, Hiroki."

"Stop calling me that!"

"Alright, alright."

He put a hand on the younger man's shoulder.

"But seriously, if something's wrong, just know that I'm here for you."

To his surprise, Kamijou held back another snarly reply. He just nodded and averted his eyes.

"…Thank you, professor."

Miyagi's eyes widened and for a moment he wondered if he'd heard that right. Then he smiled.

"You're welcome, Kamijou."

* * *

><p>Shinobu was still lying in bed, feeling perfectly content. The words Miyagi had whispered into his ear before taking off still echoed around in his head.<p>

"_I love you, Shinobu-chin."_

Well, at least he had the decency to say it after sex.

He stayed in bed a little longer, until it was ten o'clock and he decided he should really get ready to go to university. While making himself a quick breakfast, he thought back on the events of last weekend. Even though most of the lunch appointment had been a total disaster, Shinobu had to admit he'd warmed up to Takahashi. The guy was sincerely nice and much more interesting than he'd thought he would be. Plus he knew what it was like to date an older man.

An idea suddenly occurred to him, and before he could change his mind, he took his cell phone out of his pocket and sent a quick text to Takahashi.

_Are you still up for the English lessons? I've got a lot of free time today, so how about meeting up after school?_

_Takatsuki _

His phone kept quiet for a while, but when Shinobu was just about to leave the apartment, he received an answer.

_I'm really sorry, but I've got work today. I'd love to meet up, though. Do you have time tomorrow?_

_Takahashi _

He didn't notice he was smiling until he was already halfway done with typing his response.

_Tomorrow's fine. _

He took a look at the clock. Crap, it was really getting late.

_Is it okay if I we set up the time and place later today? I'm running late._

The answer came almost immediately this time.

_Sure! I'll text you when I get back from my job. See you later!_

Smiling even broader now, he put his phone back in his pocket and stepped outside the apartment.

This day was getting better and better.

* * *

><p>Totally exhausted, Misaki stumbled into the apartment. Today had been a particularly busy day at Marukawa. Demanding authors, missing documents, spilled coffee…In other words, a total disaster.<p>

He slid his bag off his shoulder and on the ground and then let himself fall on one of the couches. He let out a sigh and wished he could just go to sleep already. Unfortunately, dinner still had to be prepared, and after that he'd planned to clean Usagi-san's room, since it had become a mess during the author's latest deadline period. During those weeks, Misaki wasn't allowed to enter his room, since Usagi-san would lock himself up for most of the day to write. The last deadline had been a little while ago, but Misaki had been so busy with school, his job and then the lunch appointment that he hadn't been able to find time to take on the task.

But first, dinner.

He dragged himself to the kitchen and started taking ingredients from the fridge. His eye fell on a cabbage and he was immediately reminded of Takatsuki. The guy had told him he mostly prepared plates that involved cabbage, and he'd asked Misaki if he knew any good recipes.

Takatsuki…his eyes widened when he suddenly remembered something.

He hurried back to the place where he'd left his bag and took his phone out of it. He'd almost forgotten that he'd promised to text Takatsuki when he came back from his job.

Misaki had been surprised when the guy had contacted him. He'd had a great time talking to him last Saturday, but he hadn't been sure if Takatsuki had also felt that way. After all, the guy had been quite hostile towards him at first. But he'd been the one to text Misaki, so that meant he liked hanging out together too, right?

Or maybe he just really needed those cooking lessons.

Misaki shook his head. No, he shouldn't think like that. Takatsuki had been really nice last time, and they had even talked about things that were quite personal.

_I'm home! I've got school until three tomorrow, how about you?_

The reply came almost immediately.

'_Till two, so that's fine. How about you come to our apartment at half past three? Miyagi's still working then, so we'll have the place to ourselves._

Misaki had to say he was a little relieved at the offer. He'd already imagined Takatsuki coming over to Usagi-san's apartment, where the novelist would have plenty of opportunities to embarrass him in front of someone who would hopefully become a friend.

_Sure, I'll be there! Could you give me the address, please?_

He glanced at the clock. It was quite late already. He should start preparing dinner, before Usagi-san came out to attack him and there wouldn't be any dinner at all.

He received another text message with the address and some directions on how to get there. Misaki sent back a '_Thanks! See you tomorrow!'_ and wanted to slip the phone in his pocket. Then he hesitated. Takatsuki had a lover as well. It wouldn't be too weird to ask him, would it?

_By the way…Do you ever have troubles finishing preparing dinner?_

The moment he sent it, Misaki felt like hitting himself. Now he'd done it. Takatsuki was going to think he was totally weird.

He almost jumped when he received a reply.

_Well, I've got some troubles with preparing dinner, that's why I could use the cooking lessons…But what do you mean, 'finishing'? _

Partly disappointed, partly relieved, Misaki sent a small message back.

_Never mind, please forget it._

He was putting some pans on the stove and heating them up when his phone buzzed again.

_I don't mean to sound sappy or anything, but if there's something you want to talk about that's fine with me._

Misaki hesitated for a moment, then started typing.

_It's Usagi-san…For some reason, he never just lets me cook. _

He hit send with one hand, while he started chopping vegetables with the other.

_You mean he attacks you? I can see that, yeah._

Misaki felt his face heat up. Was he seriously talking about this to someone? Via text messages?

Before he could answer, though, another text came in.

_I'm kind of jealous, to be honest. As you've probably noticed, Miyagi's not like that at all._

He didn't know what to say to that. Misaki had noticed, indeed, that while Miyagi had been fake flirting with Kamijou all the time, he'd been a little uncomfortable with acting as Takatsuki's lover. It wasn't like Misaki couldn't relate, though. Actually, he knew exactly how Miyagi felt. But he couldn't say that to Takatsuki, of course.

_I'm sure he doesn't mean to make you upset. Plus maybe it's good he isn't like Usagi-san…We've had burned dinner three times already this month. _

Misaki dropped the now cut vegetables in one of the pans and turned the heat up a bit more.

_Not like we haven't had any ruined dinner lately…I think cabbage hates me._

The text brought a grin to Misaki's face. He was just about to type his reply when he felt two arms around his waist, pulling him close.

"What are you smiling about? You're not talking to that Ijuuin-sensei, are you?"

Misaki turned his face and looked right into Usagi-san's violet eyes. They held a teasing glint, but there was something more, a deeper emotion…Sadness? Insecurity? Misaki wasn't sure.

Then the question hit him.

"N-no! Of course not!"

He suddenly felt really guilty. It wasn't like he was lying; he was talking to Takatsuki, after all. But the question reminded him of the fact that he'd made plans with Ijuuin-sensei…and that he had yet to decide whether or not he would tell Usagi-san about it.

The novelist took one look at him, then dashed forward and grabbed his cell phone.

"Usagi-san!"

Misaki made an effort to take back his phone, but Usagi-san was already scrolling through the messages. He looked relieved at first, but then his eyes started to twinkle even more than before and his trademark smirk appeared on his face.

_O crap._

"So, talking about me, huh?"

The arms were back on Misaki's waist and a soft kiss was pressed to his ear.

"You know," Usagi-san whispered, "I didn't realize you hated this so much."

"U-usagi-san…"

Cold hands sneaked under his shirt and a pair of familiar lips started nibbling on his ear.

"Usagi-san…please stop…The food is burni- ah!"

He couldn't suppress a little moan when the novelist softly bit his earlobe.

"That guy seems to be quite enthusiastic…Who knows, maybe you could learn a thing or two from him."

Surprised, Misaki turned around.

"So you don't mind if we hang out?"

Usagi-san leaned back a little and shrugged his shoulders.

"He seems okay. As long as you makes sure to be home enough so that I can fill up on Misaki, it's fine by me."

"B-baka!" Misaki muttered, cheeks scarlet. Inside he was smiling, though. It wasn't like he would let Usagi-san stop him from meeting up with a friend, but it felt better knowing that he was okay with it.

Just as Usagi-san pulled him close again, Misaki's phone buzzed. He made a move towards it, but the novelist held him back.

"What did I just tell you? Right now is filling up time."

"I can't just ignore him! That's rude, Usagi-san!"

"I don't care."

Misaki resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Seriously, had no one ever taught him manners?

"Just one message, okay?"

Usagi-san raised his eyebrows at him.

"And then you'll let me?"

Misaki shot a glance at the dinner preparations. Well, they were ruined now anyway.

"…Yes."

Violet eyes widened and if Misaki hadn't felt so embarrassed, Usagi-san's stunned expression would have made him laugh.

The novelist looked like he was about to say something, but he kept quiet. Instead, a huge smile started to spread on his face. He released Misaki and took a few steps back.

"Go ahead then."

Misaki hesitated, still not sure if Usagi-san was serious. Then he picked up his phone and read the last message.

_Takahashi? You still there?_

Misaki shot a quick glance at Usagi-san, who was watching him with that same smile still on his face, and started typing his reply.

_Yes, I'm sorry. Someone decided to ruin dinner again. Is it okay if we talk some more tomorrow?_

He waited for an answer, which fortunately came quickly.

_Sure. Have fun._

His cheeks were on fire again. Just whose side was Takatsuki on?!

He snapped his phone shut and turned to Usagi-san again, who was looking at him so lovingly that all of Misaki's irritations vanished immediately.

"Misaki."

The novelist closed the distance between them and took his hands in his. Then he pulled him close and kissed him softly on the lips. The kiss soon turned more heated, and when they broke apart to catch their breaths, Usagi-san put his arms around him and let his head rest on top of Misaki's.

"I love you, Misaki."

Turning bright red once more, Misaki mumbled: "Yes yes, I know that already."

Usagi-san chuckled and then repeated the words.

"I really love you."

And even though it was super embarrassing and made his face become even redder, if possible, Misaki couldn't help but smile.

_I love you too, Usagi-san._

* * *

><p>"I'm home," Hiroki mumbled. <em>Finally<em>, he added in his head. Monday's sure were long and tiresome.

He had just taken off his shoes and was about to go into the apartment, when he heard footsteps approaching him.

_Huh? He can't be home yet, right?_

"Hiro-san! Welcome home!"

He was met with a beaming Nowaki, who closed the distance between him with only a few steps ('_damn those tall people'_, Hiroki thought) and bent down a little to kiss him softly on the lips.

"B-baka! What have I told you about doing these kind of things?!" Hiroki sputtered, trying very hard not to turn red. It didn't work, of course.

Nowaki just smiled even brighter.

"You're really cute, Hiro-san."

Hiroki felt his face heat up even more and decided it was time to change the subject.

"What are you doing here anyway?"

The words came out a little more harshly than he'd intended, and when he noticed that Nowaki's happy expression was starting to fade he quickly added: "Not that I don't like it, of course."

The huge smile was back and before he knew it, Hiroki was enveloped in a warm hug.

"You really don't know when to stop, do you?" he mumbled against his lover's shoulder. Nowaki only chuckled in response, a happy, familiar sound that made Hiroki feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Not that he'd ever admit that, of course.

His lover released him and flashed him another smile.

"Shall we go inside? I've already started preparing dinner."

Hiroki nodded and followed him into their living room.

"O right, I haven't answered your question yet," Nowaki said while turning back around. "For some reason, it was really quiet in the hospital today, so Tsumori-senpai told me I could go and enjoy an evening with you."

Hiroki raised his eyebrows in surprise. So that Tsumori did have a nice side, after all.

They both looked up, a little alarmed, when something in the kitchen started boiling.

"Ah, I'd better check up on the food. Do you mind if I go back to the kitchen?"

Hiroki shook his head and gestured toward the bag he was holding.

"No, that's okay, I've got some work that needs to be done before tomorrow."

Nowaki nodded and gave him another smile.

"Dinner will be ready in about forty minutes."

When Nowaki got back to his cooking, Hiroki settled himself on the couch and took out the tests. He'd given put a pop quiz the week before, but because of this weekend's events, he hadn't had the time to go over the answers before.

He worked through them quickly, but when he was halfway done, the tiredness kicked in and his thoughts started to wander. The conversation he'd had with professor Miyagi came to mind. Hiroki had been quite surprised when the older man, uncharacteristically serious, had asked him if everything was okay. Miyagi wasn't the first person he would go to when he needed someone to talk to, but although he'd never admit it to the man, Hiroki was actually glad to hear that it was an opportunity. To be honest, the conversation had made him feel just a little better.

On the other hand, it had also reminded him of the task that was still lying before him.

He looked over at Nowaki, who was humming contently, a small smile still visible on his face. He'd promised to tell him the truth, but somehow, it had never seemed like the right moment. Hiroki had been mentally exhausted on Saturday evening, and on Sunday they had both been busy with their own things. Plus it was difficult, just bringing it up out of nowhere. Actually, the whole thought of telling Nowaki what he'd done with Akihiko made him scared out of his mind, and he almost wished he hadn't made that promise to his lover…

_No. He needs to know. He _deserves _to know._

Clearing his throat a little, he called out: "N-nowaki?"

His lover looked up, surprised.

"Yes?"

Upon seeing his lover's innocent, happy face, Hiroki's nerves failed him.

"Ah- It's nothing."

He awkwardly scratched the back of his head. Nowaki was busy right now anyway, so he shouldn't bother him, right?

Apparently, the younger man had different thoughts, since he left his cooking and walked toward Hiroki.

"What's wrong, Hiro-san?"

The concerned look made him feel guilty for some reason, and he averted his eyes.

"It's really nothing, I was just thinking. Please don't mind me."

"Hiro-san…"

He felt the couch lower a little when Nowaki came to sit next to him. Before he could process what was going on, his lover had already wrapped an arm around him.

"You can always talk to me, you know."

Burning bright red, he mumbled: "…I know."

Silence stretched between them, and Hiroki knew he had to be the one to break it, since Nowaki wasn't the type to pry, even if he was curious. Still, doing so was easier said than done.

_Stop running away, Hiroki! You're supposed the most mature one, damn it!_

He forced himself to look at his lover.

"Nowaki, I…I figured I should talk to you…about Akihiko."

Nowaki's eyes widened in surprise, but he nodded.

"It's…It's kind of a long story, though."

At least if he didn't want to just drop the bomb by saying: 'Hey, guess what, Akihiko and I had blindfold-sex one time. By my request.'

Nowaki nodded again, understandingly.

"That's fine. Take all the time you need."

Hiroki tried to sit upright, but his lover only pulled him closer in response. Realizing he wasn't going to win this, he made himself comfortable against Nowaki's chest. Then he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and begun.

"Well…You've probably already figured out that I used to be in love with Akihiko."

Nowaki cringed a little, but made an affirmative sound, which Hiroki took as a sign to continue.

"Obviously, it was an unrequited love. I couldn't find the courage to tell him…Instead, I just hoped he would realize it one day. But at that time, he was caught up in his own problems…" Hiroki paused for a moment, then explained: "He also had an unrequited love. The guy was another childhood friend of his: Takahashi Takahiro."

He turned his head to look at Nowaki, whose eyes started to widen in realization.

"Takahashi…Takahashi Misaki's brother?"

Hiroki nodded.

"Yes."

Nowaki took a moment to process this new piece of information and then looked into Hiroki's eyes, silently urging him to continue.

"Akihiko was in the same situation as I was: he didn't want to destroy his friendship with Takahiro, especially since he knew that his feelings would never be returned, so he suffered in silence."

_Yes, I know exactly what you've been through, Akihiko._

Even now, after he'd talked it out with his friend, the memories were still quite painful.

Nowaki seemed to sense something, since he put his hand on top of Hiroki's and gave a soft squeeze.

"I…I hated seeing him suffer just as much, maybe even more, as I hated the hopeless feeling I had myself. So I…made up a plan. The idea was that it would help Akihiko get over Takahiro…but honestly, it was also an attempt at letting him know my true feelings…" he hesitated. This was it. He couldn't go back now.

He really had to say it.

Nowaki started rubbing circles on the back of his hand with his thumb. The touch was familiar and reassuring, and gave Hiroki the strength to say that one, crucial sentence.

"I offered to have sex with him."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Cliffhanger! I'm so mean :/ I'm sorry, honestly. It's just that I haven't finished writing the scene yet, and I really wanted to update, since it had been a while and I'm not sure when I'll have time to finish it. So I had to choose between a cliffhanger or not putting the scene in this chapter at all. But without the Egoist part, it was kind of short and felt like a filler chapter...so I went for the cliffhanger (obviously xD). Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, and as always, please let me know what you think! :D Until next time!**


	10. Confessions and cool guys

**A/N: Hello again! :D Chapter 10 already! I can't believe I've come this far. A huge thank you to everyone who reads this story, and of course a special thank you to everyone who's commented/favorited/followed. You have no idea how happy you make me! :D**

**My apologies for that really mean cliffhanger from last time. This chapter immediately continues with the Hiro/Nowaki part. :) Also, I'm sorry for not replying to your reviews yet - I will definitely get to that soon. **

**As you've probably noticed, I tend to be quite insecure about my writing, and lately I feel like it's harder to get into the story. Probably because I'm lazy and tired on one side and a little stressed about my final exams on the other...(weird combination, I know) Anyway, I really hope this chapter lives up to your expectations. I hope you'll enjoy, and please let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Junjou Romantica.**

* * *

><p>"<em>I offered to have sex with him."<em>

Nowaki's thumb stopped moving.

"I…I told him he could pretend I was Takahiro…so I gave him a blindfold and…"

Tears started clouding Hiroki's vision, but he ignored them. He had to go through with this.

"My plan failed, of course."

He let out a shaky laugh.

"For a moment, I thought he was saying my name…but of course it wasn't. It was Takahiro's. I suppose my love for him ended there. That day, I had my heart broken."

He fell silent, hesitated, then added: "When I first met you, I was crying about him…You probably already know that, though. I was really annoyed when you were so persistent about having me as your tutor, but I guess…"

Hiroki stopped when a thought suddenly occurred to him.

_I guess…He distracted me. Without realizing it, he gave me something else to focus on. He helped me get over my heartbreak…and even offered to love me, even though he thought I was still in love with Akihiko at that time._

Hiroki was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt Nowaki's hand, which was still on top of his own, start to tremble a little.

_Nowaki…_

Hiroki really didn't dare to look at him right now. He realized he'd been all high and mighty about it, telling his lover that he deserved to know the truth, but just the thought of upsetting Nowaki…of Nowaki being angry, hurt, leaving him…He couldn't take it. Of course, he hadn't really done anything wrong. At that time, he hadn't even known about Nowaki's existence, so it wasn't like he hadn't had any right to do what he did. But still…

The silence stretched out between them and it made him feel anxious. Nowaki normally was the kind of person who would share his feelings with almost anyone, so if he was hiding them now…

Hiroki didn't want to think about what that could mean.

_Oi, baka Nowaki! Say something!_

His mental outburst didn't help, of course. The room was just as quiet as before, the ticking of the clock the only sound that could be heard. Hiroki let out a sigh. He had to do something. After all, this was his responsibility.

Hesitantly, slowly, he turned his head.

Nowaki's face wore an expression that he was unfamiliar with. Head turned down a little, his bangs covering part of his face, his mouth a firm line, and his eyes not meeting Hiroki's.

Nowaki almost never looked away.

"N-nowaki? Are you…okay?"

His lover kept silent. He looked so…defeated.

And then it finally hit Hiroki.

Nowaki had always been jealous of Akihiko, from the very first time he'd heard of him. No matter how many times Hiroki had told him he was over his childhood friend, he couldn't seem to let go of the feeling. So now that he knew that Akihiko and Hiroki had actually done it, that idiot was probably thinking all kinds of crazy thoughts again.

_And the fact that I cried last Saturday probably didn't really help to convince him that I don't have any feelings for Akihiko anymore. Damn it. I'm the real baka here, aren't I?!_

After a short hesitation, Hiroki reached out and cupped his lover's face.

"Nowaki…please look at me."

Under normal circumstances, he'd never say something like that. Even now, he wasn't sure where the words were coming from. All Hiroki knew was that he couldn't stand to see his lover like this.

"I-"

Nowaki lifted his head a little.

"I'm sorry, Hiro-san."

He was sorry? What for? Wasn't Hiroki supposed to be the one saying that?

"Ah-no, you shouldn't – I mean…"

Nowaki smiled a little, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

It was then that Hiroki noticed the tears.

They had been together for a long time, but the more he thought about it, the harder it was to remember an occasion where Nowaki had cried. Which was strange, since his lover was definitely a very sensitive person. It was probably because he was always so happy, and could easily turn a negative situation around.

_It's my fault. I'm the one who's always hurting him, and now I've even made him cry._

He knew he wasn't the easiest person to go along with, and countless times he'd found himself wondering why Nowaki put up with him. His lover, of course, had answered that he 'just really loved Hiro-san', but it still made Hiroki feel guilty when he thought about all those times where he'd cursed at Nowaki or had been impatient with him.

_And this time is the worst of all. I've made him doubt my love for him._

Nowaki was silent again and Hiroki made up his mind. He was the one who had caused this problem, so he would solve it. He closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath and then lifted Nowaki's head a bit more so that he could look him in the face.

The sight of those beautiful blue orbs looking so sad and hurt made his heart ache. He wanted nothing more than to take that pain away and just have his happy Nowaki back.

So he started talking.

"I know it was the wrong thing to do – heck, you think I don't regret it?! It was stupid and naive and it hurt me more than I could have ever imagined. But…I guess it was a good thing I did it. Because…"

He looked away. God, was he really going to say this?

A warm hand took his chin and turned his head. Suddenly, he found himself staring into Nowaki's eyes again, which were still shining with tears, but also with curiosity, which gave them back some of their usual liveliness.

His lover said nothing, just stared back, and Hiroki suddenly found it very hard to speak. He knew he had to, though. So he swallowed his pride and finished his sentence.

"Because if I hadn't, I might not have met you."

Upon hearing these words, Nowaki looked like a kid on Christmas morning. His eyes started to shine, all tears forgotten, and his face broke into a huge smile.

Then, before he could process what was going on, Hiroki was pulled into what had to be one of the most enthusiastic hugs he'd ever gotten.

Burning bright red, he tried to escape from Nowaki's grip, but of course the other man was stronger.

"Hiro-san! Thank you so much! You just made me very happy!"

This, of course, only made Hiroki's face heat up more.

"B-baka! No need to be all enthusiastic about it! I was just trying to cheer you up a bit because you looked so sa-"

_Ah crap._

Nowaki chuckled and pulled him even closer.

"Thank you, Hiro-san," he whispered in his ear, with made a shiver run down Hiroki's spine.

_Damn that husky voice._

He was happy, though, to have the usual Nowaki back.

"Hiro-san…"

Nowaki's lips met his, and soon he found himself getting swept away, everything fading away until there was only Nowaki: his lips, his tongue, his eyes, his hands gently stroking Hiroki's body, his strong, warm voice whispering sweet nothings in his ears, because that was what Nowaki liked to do, his hair, his smell…

When they broke apart to catch their breaths, Hiroki suddenly remembered something. He wondered if he should bring it up now. After all, they had just sort of made up, and he didn't want to see Nowaki wearing that expression again. But if he didn't ask now, he probably wouldn't have the guts to bring it up again later. And he had the feeling it might be important.

"Say, Nowaki…What was that about, just now? You apologizing, I mean."

He noticed his lover looking away a bit.

"It's nothing, Hiro-san."

"My ass it's nothing! You wouldn't look like that if it were nothing! Now tell me the truth or I'll make you!"

Nowaki grinned and raised an eyebrow at him.

Face flushing once again, Hiroki spluttered: "I'm being serious here, you know!"

This only made Nowaki laugh more.

"Yes, I know, Hiro-san."

"Then…tell me." He hesitated, then added: "…please?"

Nowaki looked surprised for a moment, then slowly exhaled and nodded.

"I- I was jealous. Of Usami-san. I've always been, but I try not to be, since you've told me you're over him. However-" Nowaki looked away again, "when I saw you crying last Saturday…and when you just told me…It made me wonder if you're really over him…and if you could ever be truly happy with me."

Hiroki could only stare at him, dumbfounded.

_Yep. He's definitely thinking crazy things._

He tried to restrain himself, but it failed, of course. His hand found the file with tests that was still lying nearby and before he knew it, he'd jumped up and hit Nowaki on the head.

"You baka! How could you even think that after all this time?! Listen up, because I'm only going to say this once!"

Nowaki, rubbing the sore spot on his head, looked up at him, wide-eyed.

"I'll tell you something I've only ever told Akihiko-"

He noticed Nowaki's expression turn sad again, and he felt like hitting him once more.

_Always jumping to the wrong conclusions, that idiot!_

"Last Saturday, I told him that what he'd said about Takahashi – Misaki, that is – also counted for me: I love you, Nowaki. And I'll never love anyone else again."

Nowaki's eyes looked like they would pop out of his head any moment now.

"Hiro-san…"

Hiroki held out a hand.

"Stop! I'm not finished yet!"

He took a deep breath and forced himself to continue.

"_I'm_ sorry, Nowaki. I've hurt you, and not just today, but on countless other occasions as well. I know I'm difficult to handle, and that I don't show my feelings often enough, but I don't want you to ever, _ever_ think that I would be better off without you. I'm _nothing_ without you, okay?!"

Through his tears, he could see Nowaki smiling brighter than ever. And even though it was super embarrassing, and he hated the fact that he was crying like a baby _again,_ his lover's happiness filled his heart with warmth and he found himself wishing he could stay like this forever, just looking at Nowaki's happy face.

"Hiro-san!"

Long arms were wrapped around him, and he let out a long, trembling sigh when he felt Nowaki close to him.

"I love you so much, Hiro-san."

He wanted to say something he would normally say, like '_I know that already, baka!'._ But he'd already spouted so much embarrassing crap, one more thing wouldn't hurt.

And it would make Nowaki happy, no doubt about it.

He turned his head, so that he was looking away from his lover, and mumbled:

"I love you too, Nowaki."

* * *

><p><em>Tuesday<em>

"Ah! That lecture sure was hard, wasn't it?"

Todou yawned and stretched his arms behind his head. Misaki couldn't help but admire how cool he looked when he did that. With his height and scrawny appearance, he could never pull that off.

"Yes, it sure was! Luckily, we don't have much homework due tomorrow."

Todou nodded.

"Yes, that's lucky indeed. Say, Takahashi, do you have something to do right now? We could drop by the bookstore, there's a new magazine I'd like to buy."

Misaki awkwardly scratched the back of his head. How was he going to explain to Todou that he'd already made an appointment with Takatsuki-kun? As far as Todou was concerned, he was Misaki's only friend. Which had been true until last Saturday…but that wasn't something he could just tell him about.

"Oi! Takahashi! Over here!"

They both turned around at the sound. A few meters away, by the entrance gate to the University, Takatsuki-kun was waving at him. He was getting quite a few looks from girls walking by, and Misaki couldn't help but feel a little jealous.

_Why is it that everyone is way cooler than me?_

Todou frowned a little and turned to Misaki.

"You know him, Takahashi-kun?"

Trying very hard not to look nervous, Misaki replied: "Ah-yes! We met recently and...well, we decided to meet up today…So, I'm really sorry, but I can't come to the bookstore with you today, Todou-kun. I hope you don't mind."

Todou smiled at him.

"Of course not. You're allowed to have other friends as well. It's just…" he shot another look at Takatsuki, who was now coming their way, "I was a bit surprised, is all. He doesn't seem to be your type."

"Ha ha, well, that's what I thought at first, but when people have something in common, they can become friends too, right?"

Todou gave him a surprised look.

"Something in common? What do you mean?"

_Crap. What am I going to tell him now?!_

"Takahashi! I was starting to think you'd forgotten our appointment."

_'Perfect timing, Takatsuki-kun'_ Misaki thought, relieved. Then he realized what the guy had been saying.

"N-no, of course not! I'm really sorry, the professor in the last lecture just kept talking, so…"

"It's fine, no need to worry about it."

Takatsuki flashed him a smile, which surprised Misaki. Sure, he'd discovered that Takatsuki-kun had a friendlier side last Saturday, when they had been cooking together, but he still wasn't completely sure if the other saw him as a friend or just as a cooking instructor. Still, the boy looked happy to see him.

"Ah-Takahashi-kun?"

Misaki was snapped out of his thoughts by Todou's voice.

"I'm sorry! Takatsuki-kun, this is Todou-kun, a really good friend of mine. Todou-kun, this is Takatsuki-kun."

"Nice to meet you, Takatsuki-kun. I hope you'll take good care of Misaki," Todou smiled.

"O-oi, Todou!"

"Nice to meet you too. I will, don't worry about it. I can imagine how Takahashi can be when he doesn't have someone around to look out for him," Takatsuki grinned back.

"T-Takatsuki-kun!"

Both Todou and Takatsuki took a look at Misaki's face and burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry, Takahashi-kun," Todou said while whipping the tears from his eyes. "You're just really fun to tease."

_Somehow, I feel like the whole world is against me right now._

Still, Misaki was happy to see that his best friend and hopefully new friend were getting along so well, even if it was at his expense.

That was, until Takatsuki started talking again.

"Yeah, I'm sure Usami-sensei knows that as well."

Misaki froze.

Todou looked at Takatsuki, surprised.

"What do you mean?"

_Don't say anything, please don't say anything…_

Takatsuki grinned at Misaki.

"Well, yesterday I learned that when Misaki is cooking, Usami-san…"

"Ah- that! Yes, he likes to tease me because I always make such a mess of the kitchen when I cook, ha ha."

Both Todou and Takatsuki looked at him. Todou had a slightly skeptical expression on his face, while Takatsuki looked surprised at first…and then he looked like it suddenly dawned on him.

Misaki let out a sigh of relief. Good, at least Takatsuki seemed to get it now. The only problem left was Todou…

_Damn, I really wish I wasn't such a bad liar._

"Well, he can say all he wants, you're still a really good cook. Did he tell you already he's going to give me cooking lessons?" Takatsuki turned to Todou, who was still looking at Misaki with a little frown on his face. Now, however, he turned his attention back to the younger guy.

"O, so that's what you're appointment is about?"

Takatsuki nodded.

"Yes, and I'm giving him English lessons in return."

Misaki could have hugged him then and there. At least one of them was a good liar, thankfully.

Todou's face suddenly lit up, as if an idea struck him.

"Ah! So you were the one who Takahashi was having lunch with last Saturday?"

Relieved that Todou seemed to buy the story, Misaki nodded.

"Yes! He, erm…"

"I wanted to see for myself if his cooking skills were good. And Takahashi asked me to show him mine as well."

Todou nodded in understanding and then looked at his watch.

"Well, it's getting late already, so I won't keep you here any longer. Takahashi-kun, is our appointment tomorrow still on?"

Misaki cringed a little. Right. Tomorrow. The appointment with Ijuuin-sensei.

Which he still had to tell Usagi-san about.

"Takahashi-kun?"

"Ah-yes! Sure! I'm looking forward to it, Todou-kun!"

Todou flashed him one of his bright smiles.

"Great, so am I. See you tomorrow then, Takahashi! Takatsuki-kun, until next time!"

With a little wave, he started walking toward the gate.

Takatsuki looked at him, then turned around to Misaki.

"Shall we go as well?"

* * *

><p>Shinobu opened the door to Miyagi's and his apartment and motioned for Takahashi to step inside.<p>

"Come in."

Takahashi smiled and nodded.

"Thank you. Pardon the intrusion."

For a moment, he worried what Takahashi would think of their apartment. It wasn't much, especially not in comparison to Usami-san's. Still, Shinobu was really fond of it. He shared it with Miyagi, after all.

"Nice apartment, Takatsuki-kun."

"Thanks. You don't find it small?"

Takahashi turned around, a surprised expression on his face.

"No! Well, it's not like Usag-Usami-san's, but before I started living with him, I'd never lived in a place as huge as his, so…"

Shinobu smiled. Straightforward and sincere as always. He found he was actually starting to like that side of Takahashi.

"Would you like something to drink? Tea, coffee, soda?"

"I'll have some tea, please."

When Shinobu came back from the kitchen with their drinks, he found Takahashi walking around the living room. The guy looked startled when he noticed Shinobu, and he had a guilty expression on his face.

"Ah-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to be rude, I was just curious to see how an apartment like this would look like…I'm sorry."

_Like this? _

Shinobu thought for a moment and then it hit him.

Takahashi was talking about an apartment where two guys were living together, wasn't he?

"But…you're living with Usami-san as well, aren't you?"

Takahashi nodded, then bit his lip.

"Well, yes…but not many people know about our…about us."

Shinobu raised an eyebrow.

"And what makes you think people know about _us_?"

The other guy looked confused.

"But…you're living here together…"

"We've told my parents that it was easier this way. Miyagi already acted as my guardian, and we lived next to each other, so me moving to his place was cheaper and easier, since Miyagi would be able to keep an eye on me all the time." He paused, then added: "Or so we told them, anyway."

Takahashi's eyes widened a little.

"So…your parents…"

"Don't know."

Shinobu set down the tray with their tea and moved to stand next to Takahashi, who was staring at some pictures of Shinobu's family.

"I see…That must be hard."

"Well, I'm sure you know all about that. Your brother doesn't know either, does he?"

Takahashi's expression turned sad and Shinobu immediately regretted bringing it up.

"No, he…no. I plan to tell him, though, it's just…"

"…Hard."

The brown-haired boy looked up.

"Yes. Do you plan on telling them as well, Takatsuki-kun?"

Shinobu shook his head.

"Not a chance, Miyagi would kill me."

He sighed and motioned toward the table.

"Let's sit down, the tea will get cold."

Takahashi nodded and followed him. When they were seated, Shinobu continued: "Well, I guess he's right. I mean, we've got kind of an…erm…_unusual_ relationship. And as much as I hate to admit it, that Usami-san of yours was sort of right: it wasn't exactly legal in the beginning."

Takahashi looked at him with wide eyes and his mouth slightly opened, which made Shinobu flush and avert his gaze.

"How…how old were you?"

He bit his lip and forced himself to look at Takahashi.

"Seventeen."

Takahashi sighed and then smiled at him.

"Well, that's not that bad. I was eighteen when I met Usagi-san, so…"

Shinobu felt his eyes widen a little.

"Really?"

_We really are quite similar, aren't we?_

Takahashi nodded, still smiling.

"Yes. We're quite alike after all, aren't we?"

Shinobu could only stare at him, which made Takahashi shift around uncomfortably.

"Erm, I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

"No, please don't, it's just..." Shinobu grinned at him, "Just now, I was thinking the same."

Takahashi looked surprised for a moment, then gave him a huge smile back. It reminded Shinobu of the way he'd been smiling at his friend earlier, and he hoped it meant Takahashi and he could be friends as well.

Talking about that friend…

"So that friend of yours, Todou-kun…he doesn't know anything?"

Wrong question, again. Takahashi's eyes became duller and his smile faded.

"No, he doesn't…I feel like I should tell him as well…But I don't know what he'll think. He's my best friend, I don't want to lose him…or have him tell the whole school. I could never show my face again if that happened…"

Suddenly, Shinobu felt his anger flaring up. What was it with these people, really?! As is there was anything wrong with loving the person you were destined to love! Before he could stop himself, he said: "What?! You think it's such a wrong thing, being this way? If you really love Usami-san, how could you even think that? Argh, you're just like Miyagi! I can't stand it!"

Takahashi looked at him, wide-eyed.

"I-I'm sorry, I-"

After taking a few deep breaths, Shinobu shook his head.

"No, it's okay. I'm sorry. It's just…I know it's hard, but you shouldn't be ashamed of who you are or who you love."

Takahashi nodded, hesitantly.

"I know. But it's not only that, it's also Usagi-san…I don't want to be a burden to him. And if word of us got out…He's a famous novelist, it would be all over the papers. I can't ruin his life."

Shinobu gaped at him. This guy really was oblivious, wasn't he?

_And really, incredible considerate of others._

"Are you kidding me? Have you even seen how Usami-san looks at you?"

When Takahashi gave him a questioning look, he added: "The only way you could ruin his live is by leaving him. That guy's totally crazy about you, and I'm sure he couldn't care less if the whole world knew about it."

_If only Miyagi could be a bit more like that…_

Takahashi's eyes widened and then he smiled at him, even brighter than before.

"Thank you, Takatsuki-kun." Then, as if he was reading his mind, he said: "You know, Miyagi-san…he looks at you like that, too. I'm sure he feels the same way about you, he's just…"

Takahashi hesitated.

"Go on," Shinobu said softly.

"He's like me, I suppose. I'm scared of other people's opinions, I guess, but I'm even more scared of hurting Usagi-san."

Shinobu stared at him.

_I see…I've never thought of it that way…_

Slowly, a smile started to appear on his face. Takahashi would definitely be a great friend.

"Thanks," he told him. The older boy smiled in return.

Then Shinobu decided it was time to address a lighter subject.

"Tell me, honestly."

At his words, Takahashi looked at him questionably.

"How much of a disaster am I in the kitchen?"

A grin broke out on Takahashi's face, and soon they were both laughing out loud. Shinobu looked at the other's face and wondered why he had ever thought he wouldn't like Takahashi.

_Yes, we could definitely be great friends._

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in another apartment, Akihiko was hanging around in the living room, feeling bored.<p>

_I wish Misaki was here._

But no, Misaki was with Takatsuki. He sighed. Well, there were worse people his little lover could be hanging out with. Still, he couldn't help but worry a little.

He'd probably never stop worrying when it came to Misaki.

Just when he was about to go up to his room and try to write something (Aikawa would be so proud of him), his cell phone rang.

Without looking at the display, he picked it up.

"Everything okay, Misaki?"

The voice that answered, however, was not his lover's.

"Good afternoon, Usami-sensei."

He almost dropped the phone.

"Ijuuin-sensei."

_Damn, why is that idiot calling me? Misaki's not with him, is he? No, he can't be…_

"My, my, what a cold greeting, Usami-sensei. I was just calling you to keep you up to date about our precious _Misaki's_ life."

Our_ Misaki?!_

Akihiko gritted his teeth and tried to stay calm.

"What have you done this time?"

A chuckle followed his words.

"Oh, I haven't done anything…yet. I've just invited him to come over tomorrow."

_What?_

"Well, I suppose you already know about that, but I wanted to check it just in case. You don't mind, do you? He sounded so enthusiastic about coming, I wouldn't want anyone to spoil his fun."

The room was spinning before Akihiko's eyes. Misaki was going over to Ijuuin's? And he hadn't told him about it?

'_Calm down'_, he told himself. _'No need to take rash conclusions'._

"I don't know what you're planning, Ijuuin, but let me tell you one thing: if you hurt Misaki, I won't forgive you. Ever."

Another chuckle.

"O, I wouldn't dare to hurt him. After all, I'm in love with Takahashi. Therefore, I wouldn't want to make him unhappy…by, let's say, forbidding him to go see a friend."

It took all he had not to burst into a fit of anger. This man…

"Well, that's all for now. Give my greetings to Takahashi. I'm looking forward to meeting you again sometime, Usami-sensei."

Before Akihiko had a chance to reply, Ijuuin had already hung up.

He scrolled through his contacts until he saw the name he was looking for.

_Misaki._

He'd already brought his thumb to the screen when he started to hesitate. He couldn't call Misaki now, that would definitely piss him off. Plus he hadn't any proof that what Ijuuin had said was actually true. Maybe the guy was just trying to get under his skin, like he always did. Akihiko couldn't ruin Misaki's plans with Takatsuki because of some made-up story.

No, he'd wait until Misaki got home.

He took a look at the clock. Four thirty. Misaki had promised to be home at six, at last.

Akihiko dropped his phone on the table and let himself fall back on the couch. There was no way he could write something good right now.

He sighed and closed his eyes, then opened them to look at the time again.

Four thirty-three.

_Please come home soon, Misaki._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: That's it for now! Oh, I've got plans...*evil grin* I hope you enjoyed it, and please let me know what you think! Until next time! :D**


	11. Impatience and important questions

**A/N: Hello again! Are you ready for chapter 11? ;D Thank you all so much for your support, I can't believe I've almost reached a hundred reviews! Whaah, I'm so excited!**

**Also a huge thank you to the guest reviewers!**

**Visitor****: I just…wow…I don't know how to thank you! Reading your review made a huge smile appear on my face! Thank you so so much! :D I really hope you'll continue to enjoy this story!**

**Anon****: Thank you! I'm really happy to hear that! :D Well, Shinobu and Misaki just are adorable, aren't they? ;D**

**Bajusz****: Thank you so much, I'm really glad to hear that! About the names and the way they address each other: you're absolutely right, I should be more consistent about it. I've decided I'm going to leave the –kun/-san etc. when they think of someone or when someone is speaking (with the exception of Hiro-san and Usagi-san, of course), because I feel like it's better for the flow of the story (and there's a lesser change of me making even more mistakes). I will make sure to add them when someone is addressing someone else, though :) I hope it will be better this way. I've paid attention to it while editing this chapter, and as soon as I have the time, I will check the other chapters as well. Thanks a lot for pointing it out! Don't worry about your English, it's good (and mine isn't perfect either). Thanks again for reading and reviewing and I hope you'll like this chapter as well! Kisses back from the Netherlands!**

* * *

><p>"…and he has this obsession with bears, which means there's a whole room filled up with them, and every time I try to clean it, all of those bears fall on top of me!"<p>

There was an image in Shinobu's head of Takahashi under a huge mountain of stuffed animals, and it made him laugh so hard that he had to wipe the tears from his eyes.

"Usami-san sure has his weird sides," he said when he was able to breath normally again. "Miyagi's almost boring compared to him."

Takahashi nodded in agreement.

"Yes, at first I thought I wasn't going to survive his lessons, let alone living with him. But then…"

The boy's cheeks became a faint scarlet, and it wasn't difficult to guess what he was thinking about.

"Ooh, having good memories, Takahashi-kun?"

His face became a darker shade of red.

"S-shut up, Takatsuki-kun."

"No, tell me. I want details, details!" Shinobu said, voice higher than usual and hands fluttering like some overexcited girl.

Takahashi laughed and shook his head.

"Aw, come on!"

"N-no way!"

"I'm going to tickle you if you won't tell me!"

Takahashi let out a (very manly, of course) shriek and backed away from him, but Shinobu was faster. Within seconds, he had the other boy pinned down on the floor and started to poke his sides.

"N-no… stop! Takatsuki-kun, stop it!" Takahashi managed to get out between laughing.

Shinobu grinned.

"Not until you tell me!"

Takahashi shook his head once more, which resulted in Shinobu mercilessly attacking again. After finding out the boy's weak point were his feet, he continued to tickle there, until Takahashi finally gave in.

"Okay, okay…I-I'll tell you."

Satisfied, Shinobu drew back and gave Takahashi a moment to catch his breath. Then he asked again:

"So? What were you thinking about?"

Promptly, Takahashi's face was burning bright red again.

_He's really innocent, isn't he?_

"W-well, that's…"

Shinobu waited for the other to continue, but he stayed silent.

Worried that he'd done something wrong, Shinobu said:

"Hey, you don't _have_ to tell me. It's fine if you really don't want to."

He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, though. It was his first time talking to someone who was in the same position, after all. Plus…

_I guess…I want him to trust me._

Takahashi looked up, eyes slightly widened. Shinobu had noticed that he was really good at reading other people's emotions. Maybe he'd heard something in his voice…?

"No, it's not that, it's just…I'm sorry, those first memories are kind of…private."

Disappointment came welling up inside him, but then he thought of the first memories – _that_ kind of first memories – he had with Miyagi, and he realized Takahashi was right.

_These moments _are _private. Special. They aren't meant to share with someone._

He smiled.

"You're absolutely right, Takahashi. But-"

He grinned, and he noticed the other boy's look becoming a little worried.

"-there's no reason why you can't tell me about what happened during cooking last night!"

Takahashi's face became a mix between annoyance and embarrassment.

"Well, like I said, Usagi-san likes to…erm…"

"Attack you?" Shinobu suggested, using the same term he had before.

Takahashi blushed again, but nodded.

"Yeah, that. Well, he likes to do that while I cook dinner…or make breakfast…or lunch…or sometimes even when I'm just making tea! I don't know what he likes so much about it, but it's really annoying!"

Shinobu's smile faltered a little and he let out a sigh.

"Well, at least Usami-san is affectionate like that…It takes a lot more to get Miyagi into action. At first, I always had to be the one to initiate anything. I wasn't even sure if he loved me in the beginning…"

_And sometimes, I still wonder…_

He shook his head, annoyed. He shouldn't think like that. Miyagi had told him he loved him, right? And he had kissed him. On the street. The only thing that held Miyagi back was his fear, probably.

"Takatsuki-kun? Are you okay?"

He snapped himself out of it and smiled at Takahashi.

"Yes, sure, I'm fine. Where were we? Oh yes, you were telling me about Usami-san attacking you."

"W-well, there's not much to tell…" Takahashi stuttered. "He just snuck up behind me and scared the crap out of me, as usual. Then he wanted to know who I was texting with…"

He fell silent, as if suddenly remembering something. A guilty expression came over his face.

"What's wrong?"

Takahashi looked up at him, then quickly looked away.

"Erm…I'm really sorry about this, but…"

Shinobu was starting to get worried now. What could possibly make him look that guilty?

"…Usagi-san kind of read our texts."

When he noticed Shinobu staring at him, he hastily continued.

"I tried to stop him, really! But once he's set his mind on something…"

Shinobu couldn't help himself, he started to laugh.

"Wh-what?" Takahashi asked, confused.

"God Takahashi-kun, you really had me worried there! I thought something terrible had happened or something!"

Takahashi looked relieved.

"I thought you might be mad…since it was rather private and all…"

Sure, it had been pretty private – but there were worse things. Jeez, this guy…

"Don't worry, if I would get mad over it, then it wouldn't be at you. Though I have to say – your boyfriend can be really annoying sometimes."

Takahashi blushed a little at the word 'boyfriend', but then grinned at him.

"O yeah, definitely. Like, he never listens to me. I've told him countless times to stop smoking…"

"Urgh yeah, I'm trying to let Miyagi quit too. Actually, you gave me the idea. I should have said something about it before. After all, Miyagi's not getting any younger."

Takahashi's face suddenly lit up.

"We should think up some sort of anti-smoke plan!"

Shinobu nodded.

"Yes, that's a good idea."

"But what should we do to get them to stop?" Takahashi wondered.

"Now that's not so hard," Shinobu grinned. When the other boy looked at him questioningly, he declared:

"The only thing we have to do is to stop having sex with them!"

They looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"I-I don't even want to think about what Usagi-san's mood would be like if I did that!" Takahashi managed to get out between laughs.

"Y-yeah, same here," Shinobu said, gasping for breath. "Still, it might actually work," he added in a more serious tone.

"Well, yes, probably…" Takahashi said, "but it would be my last resort."

"Oh, you'd miss it, wouldn't you?"

"S-shut up, Takatsuki-kun!"

* * *

><p>When Miyagi opened the door of Shinobu and his apartment, the first thing he noticed was the smell of food. That wasn't very uncommon, since his lover usually prepared dinner around this time. The surprising thing was, it didn't smell burnt or…erm…<em>suspicious.<em> It actually smelt really, really good.

Then he noticed an extra pair of shoes.

_Aha._

"I'm home!" he called out, before taking of his shoes and walking towards the kitchen.

As expected, Takahashi was there, together with Shinobu. Both were wearing aprons, but while Takahashi looked calm and relaxed, Shinobu had a concentrated expression on his face. His brow was furrowed and he looked determined to memorize everything the other boy said as he pointed out some things in an instruction book to him. The sight was pretty comical and Miyagi tried his best to stifle his laughter.

Apparently, he didn't completely succeed, since Shinobu suddenly looked up.

"Ah-Miyagi! Welcome home!"

Miyagi smiled at his lover, then turned to Takahashi.

"Nice to see you again, Takahashi-kun. I hope you're doing well?"

The boy smiled at him politely and nodded.

"Yes, I am, thank you. How are you, Miyagi-san?"

"I'm fine, thanks. Pretty tired though, and hungry. But dinner looks really good!"

He noticed the happy smile that crept onto Shinobu's face, and it made him feel good as well. His lover tried so hard for him, after all.

"It better look good, old man. We've worked really hard on it."

"I see. Thanks a lot, Takahashi-kun."

The boy gave him a shy smile.

"You're welcome, Miyagi-san."

Shinobu frowned at him.

"Oi, why don't I get a thank you?! I've worked hard too, you know."

"Yes, yes, I know," he said, and reached out to ruffle his lover's hair. When he wanted to withdraw his hand, though, Shinobu suddenly grabbed his wrist and pulled him closer.

"Wha-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Shinobu's lips were crashing into his.

"…That's how you greet your lover," he mumbled when they broke apart.

Miyagi could only stare at the boy, wide-eyed.

_What's gotten into him all of a sudden? Yesterday he tried to take charge, and now this…?_

From the corners of his eyes, he quickly glanced at Takahashi, who'd become a little red and apparently didn't know where to look. His eyes wandered through the room, until they landed on the clock.

"O crap! It's really late! I should go now, before Usagi-san murders me."

Takahashi hastily grabbed his bag and his coat, then turned to Shinobu.

"Just leave everything on the stove for a few more minutes."

Shinobu nodded and stepped away from Miyagi to walk the other boy to the door.

"Thanks, Takahashi-kun. I've learned a lot."

"T-that's okay. Thank you too, Takatsuki-kun," Takahashi answered. Then he added: "…I had a great time today."

Shinobu's face broke out into a grin, which surprised Miyagi. He never really saw him laughing like that, especially not at people he didn't know very well.

"Me too. We should do this again soon."

Takahashi grinned back enthusiastically and nodded.

"Yes, definitely!"

While the boys talked, Miyagi looked at them, a smile on his face.

_Looks like Shinobu has found a great friend in him. I'm glad._

After Takahashi and Miyagi had said their goodbyes, the two boys disappeared into the hall. Miyagi let out a tired sigh and settled himself on the couch, leaning back and closing his eyes. Not too long after that he heard the door slam shut, followed by Shinobu's approaching footsteps.

Then he suddenly felt a weight on top of him and before he could process what was happening, Shinobu was already straddling him.

"Shinobu? What are you-"

He was cut off when his lover kissed him for the second time that evening. This time though, it wasn't a simple 'welcome home' kiss. Instead it was raw and impatient and full of desire.

_Yes, I _really _wonder what's gotten into him._

Shinobu had always been enthusiastic, but this…

Just when he'd decided he would confront his lover with it, a pair of warm hands found its way into his shirt. The sensation made a shiver ran down his spine and distracted him from his thoughts. Soon he found himself kissing back, suddenly feeling just as impatient as Shinobu apparently was.

He softly bit on those beautiful pink lips, which earned him a satisfied moan. The sound alone made Miyagi feel better than he had all day. He pulled his lover even closer, tangling his hands into Shinobu's hair, and then moved his lips to the boy's neck, were he left a trail of kisses. After that he started kissing his jawline, his cheeks, his eyes, until he found those beautiful lips again, and they were full-on kissing once more, lips smashing together and tongues exploring each other's mouth.

When they really, really needed to catch their breaths, they pulled back, both panting heavily.

"Wow," Shinobu breathed.

"Yeah," Miyagi agreed.

_That was definitely the best kiss we've had in a while. Apart from that one Shinobu initiated yesterday. Oh, and that one on the street…_

He smiled.

"What?" Shinobu asked, still slightly out of breath.

"Nothing, just thinking we've had quite a lot of amazing kisses lately."

He leaned forward and captured his lover's lips again, this time for a short and sweet kiss. Then he slid his hands under Shinobu's T-shirt and pulled him in for a hug.

"I love you, Shinobu," he whispered.

Miyagi couldn't see his lover's face, but the tips of his ears were burning bright red, which brought a smile to his face.

_I really can't imagine my life without him anymore. How can I ever have thought about rejecting him?_

Sure, their relationship wasn't exactly…_normal_, and he was still worried about the day they would have to face Shinobu's parents and his ex-wife – and that day would come, he was certain of it – but there was no way he was letting go of this. There was no way he was letting go of _him_.

Shinobu's fingers had moved to his shirt again and were now working on the buttons, but Miyagi put his hand on top of the boy's.

"Maybe we should have dinner first? You and Takahashi-kun went to the trouble of making it, after all."

"Must you bring other people up right now?" Shinobu mumbled, face a mix between annoyance and embarrassment.

"I don't know about you, but I am really hungry. Plus this food smells too good to be ignored."

Shinobu snorted.

"I bet you wouldn't say that if I had cooked alone."

"That's…"

_Crap, what can I say to that?_

Shinobu huffed and turned around.

"It's fine, I'll get it. I hope it isn't burnt by now."

Miyagi let out a sigh.

_Shit, I've hurt him now, haven't I?_

"Shinobu."

He stopped the boy by pulling on the back of his T-shirt. Shinobu turned around.

"…what?"

Miyagi stood up and hugged his lover from behind.

"You don't have to be good at everything, you know. It's okay if you have to work a little harder to learn something every once in a while."

Cheeks burning scarlet, Shinobu turned his head away.

"I know that, old man."

"That's good, then."

He released the boy and watched him walk off to the kitchen.

There were a lot of things that still needed to be solved, Miyagi realized. He really had to talk to Shinobu about his…_unusual_ behavior, for one. And Miyagi also needed to solve some things himself. How he was going to handle the PDA-thing, for instance. He hadn't had much time to think about it since last weekend, but it definitely hadn't left his mind. Especially not because Usami's words were still echoing around in his head:

"_Isn't their whole relationship illegal?"_

Although it wasn't (at least not anymore), it was still far from normal, and therefore quite risky. Both Shinobu and he could lose a lot when it came out. He absolutely didn't want to do that to Shinobu. And the mere thought of having to break up with his lover…

_Let's not think about that for now._

"Miyagi! Could you get some plates out of the cupboard?"

"Yes! Coming!"

He smiled to himself. Yes, there would be plenty of time to worry later. Right now, he would just enjoy their evening together.

* * *

><p>"Usagi-san! I'm ho-"<p>

Misaki didn't have the time to finish his sentence, because a weight suddenly knocked into him and made him crash into the floor.

"U-Usagi-san!"

The man smirked and leaned down to kiss him. Soon his hands were all over Misaki's body, stroking his hair, trailing down his face, sliding under his T-shirt…

"Welcome home, Misaki," he huskily whispered into his ear.

"B-baka!" Misaki spluttered, trying to get up. He failed, of course.

Usagi-san's cold hands were roaming over his chest now, twitching one of his nipples, and Misaki couldn't stop himself from letting out a small moan.

"Enjoying yourself, aren't you?"

"B-Baka Usa-"

He was silenced by a pair of lips pressing against his own. Usagi-san licked his lower lip, asking for entrance, and before Misaki realized it he'd given in to it. The other man's tongue was exploring his mouth, and Misaki could feel himself getting swept away, as usual. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around Usagi-san and pulled him a little closer.

This earned him a surprised look and a chuckle from the other man.

"…I assume you and Takatsuki-kun had a good time?"

Misaki blinked a few times, surprised.

"What do you mean?"

Usagi-san smiled.

"Well, you're not resisting half as much as you normally do, so I just figured you had a nice day."

Then, expression turning a little sour, he added: "You were awfully late, though. Do you have any idea how worried I've been?"

Misaki averted his eyes, suddenly feeling very guilty.

"I-I'm really sorry, Usagi-san…I was helping Takatsuki prepare dinner and I forgot the time…I didn't mean to make you upset…"

_I'm always causing him trouble, aren't I?_

Then, to his surprise, Usagi-san smiled and pulled him close.

"It's alright, I'm just glad you're home. Plus you can make it up to me now…"

Before he could do so much as blink, the author was kissing him again, even more passionately now. Soon Usagi-san's hands were traveling lower and started to work on the button of his jeans. Just when Misaki decided he would give in to it, _just this once_, a sudden move from Usagi-san caused him to move as well – and the pain in his back made him realize they were still lying on the floor.

"U-Usagi-san…can we maybe…move?"

The novelist looked up at him, surprised.

"Why?"

_Why, do you ask?!_

Misaki shot up, pushing Usagi-san off of him a little.

"Why? Because I'm _not_ going to have sex on the floor!"

Usagi-san stared at him for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"Wh-what? It's not that strange!"

"No, sorry, it's just…" Usagi-san started, whipping the tears from his eyes, "…your face just now was really funny…You looked so indignant!"

"W-well, yeah, everyone would look indignant if they got pushed down on the floor when they entered their home," Misaki huffed.

Usagi-san smirked.

"Nope. _You_ should be used to it by now."

"What's that supposed to mean? And by the way, why did you push me down? I know you're impatient, but…"

_Normally, he's not _that_ impatient._

Suddenly worried, Misaki studied Usagi-san's face intently.

_Did something happen…?_

Usagi-san's expression turned dark.

"…I got a phone call."

Misaki waited for him to continue, heart beating a little faster than usual.

"It was from Ijuuin-sensei. He told me he'd made an appointment with you. Is that true, Misaki?"

Misaki wanted to deny it, wanted to tell Usagi-san that he absolutely didn't have any intentions of seeing Ijuuin again. But one look into the man's worried eyes, and he knew he'd never be able to do that. So he just nodded and averted his eyes.

"I'm really sorry, Usagi-san…He emailed me and asked me to come over. I wanted to decline his invitation, but Ijuuin-sensei said I could bring Todou-kun, and he'd been so sad since his girlfriend broke up with him…So I wanted to cheer him up a bit."

He looked up at Usagi-san again, whose expression had become a little softer.

"I really didn't plan on meeting up with him again, Usagi-san! But at least I'm with Todou-kun, so…"

Before he could finish his sentence, Usagi-san had pulled him into a hug.

"U-Usagi-san?"

"You really are too kind, Misaki," the novelist said, while stroking his hair. Misaki let out a sigh, relived that Usagi-san wasn't mad at him.

_That certainly went much better than I expected._

They stayed like that for a little while, until Usagi-san broke the silence.

"I've told you I would trust you, and I will, Misaki. It's just…I can't help but worry about you. Ijuuin-sensei sounded like he had some sort of plan, and I don't know whether he's really plotting something or that he's just trying to get under my skin."

_Plan…?_

Misaki really hoped that Ijuuin hadn't been serious about that. Suddenly, he wished he could just cancel the appointment.

But no. He'd promised Todou. Plus, his friend would be with him all the time, wouldn't he?

"Just…promise me you'll be careful, Misaki."

He nodded, until he realized Usagi-san couldn't see that.

"…I promise, Usagi-san."

"Good."

Suddenly smirking again, the man picked him up and threw him over his shoulder.

"U-Usagi-san?!"

"What?" the novelist asked innocently. "You still haven't made up for the fact that you were late, have you?"

_This baka…_

"S-Stop! Usagi-san! Put me down!"

The man simply grinned at him in response.

"Nope."

When Misaki opened his mouth to yell at him again, he was silenced with a kiss. His eyes fluttered close and when he opened them again, Usagi-san was staring at him with a satisfied expression on his face.

Knowing perfectly well where this was going, Misaki tried: "B-but we haven't had dinner yet!"

As expected, Usagi-san merely smiled.

"Dinner can wait."

* * *

><p>"Hmm…Hiro-san," Nowaki mumbled in his lover's hair. "You were amazing tonight."<p>

"S-shut up, you baka!"

He chuckled to himself. Even though he couldn't see Hiro-san's face, he could perfectly imagine what it looked like right now: red, embarrassed, and absolutely, undeniably cute.

"But it's the truth," he whispered. Then, when it stayed silent, he added: "I love you, Hiro-san."

The older man mumbled something inaudible, and Nowaki wasn't sure if it was something affirmative or another of Hiro-san's biting remarks. He wouldn't really mind, though.

After all, they'd had amazing sex two days in a row. More importantly, he'd hear Hiro-san say 'I love you' yesterday, just like that, without any excuses or calling him 'baka'. Not matter how much Nowaki loved that reluctant side of Hiro-san, it was nice to hear him voice his feelings seriously and honestly once in a while. On top of that, Hiro-san had even told him that he'd always love him, and no one else.

Those words had been enough to fill him with a happiness that would last a lifetime.

Sure, he'd been hurt and jealous and scared upon hearing just what kind of past his lover shared with Usami-san. But he knew he hadn't the right to feel that way, because there had never been an actual relationship between the two men. More importantly, Nowaki hadn't even been in the picture at that time.

And Hiro-san's declaration had taken away all of his doubts and worries.

Nowaki sighed contently and let himself fall down on the mattress, while reaching out his left hand to stroke Hiro-san's hair. He wished they could stay this way forever – just Hiro-san and he in their own perfect little world.

_But…we really can, can't we? We've been together for a long time, and now I know we'll always be…_

Then he realized he'd never actually said that to his lover.

"Hiro-san…"

"Hmm?" his lover replied, sounding half-asleep already.

"I want to be with you forever, too."

Hiro-san shot up, suddenly fully awake again.

"B-baka! You don't need to say such things!"

Nowaki couldn't suppress a grin upon seeing his lover's current state: hair tousled, eyes still a little sleepy, cheeks red and lips swollen from kissing.

_I can't imagine someone or something more beautiful than Hiro-san. It's simply not possible._

The urge to kiss him was overwhelming, so Nowaki gave in to it. When they broke apart, Hiro-san's face was even more flushed.

"…what was that for?"

Nowaki grinned.

"Just admiring your beauty."

"B-baka! How can you do that with your face so close-"

He stopped when Nowaki moved forward again, his nose almost touching Hiro-san's.

"Because I can see your eyes better right now, Hiro-san. They're such a beautiful, special colour. And I can see your skin…" He stroked the man's left cheek with a finger, and noticed to his satisfaction that his lover couldn't suppress a little shiver.

"And your lips, of course…They're nice and pink, and so soft…" He let his finger move towards them, then closed the gap between Hiro-san and him by pressing his own lips against his lover's.

The kiss was soft and sweet, and when they broke apart Nowaki pulled Hiro-san close and sighed contently.

_I must be the luckiest man alive._

Then he suddenly realized something. If Hiro-san and he would always be together, than did that mean…?

"Hiro-san?"

"Hmm?"

"We'll always be together, won't we?"

Hiro-san groaned a little.

"I knew I shouldn't have said that to you," he mumbled.

"That's mean, Hiro-san!"

His lover looked up at him and then quickly looked away again, face flushing a little.

"I-I already made that clear, didn't I?!"

"Yes, Hiro-san!"

At the excited tone in his voice, the other man looked up again, and Nowaki gave him a wide grin.

"Then does that mean that I can finally meet your parents?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: …Does that count as a cliff-hanger? I suppose it does…I'm sorry! Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed the chapter! There were quite a lot of making out scenes (the most I've written in one chapter so far) and not very much action/drama, but don't worry: there will be soon! The next chapter will take place on Wednesday, which means… it's the day of the appointment with Ijuuin! I'm really excited about writing that, ha ha xD I can't promise when I'll update, thought, since I really need to start studying right now (I don't want to…). But I'll try to write in the evenings :)**

**As always, please let me know what you think! Your reviews make me smile and keep me writing :D Until next time!**


	12. Rules, risks and reading manga

**A/N: Hi there! Wow, I've got lots of things to say…I'm not sure where to start. First, thank you all so much for your support! I got some new favorites/follows as well as a lot of amazing reviews, and they make me smile so much :D Thank you all very much! I will reply to them, but right now I'm busy studying, since my finals will start this Monday (whaah! THIS Monday! :S) So unfortunately that'll have to wait until after my finals, or maybe during a break. I'm sorry! Just know that they're really appreciated :D**

**I managed to write this chapter between study breaks, mostly earlier in my holiday (I've got a two week holiday right now) and waited until now to post it. It feels better to have at least another chapter out, that way the wait won't be too long. Plus I love writing, of course xD My last exam is on Thursday, May 22nd, so I won't be uploading for at least two weeks. After that, I'll go back to writing asap, but I've also got some fun activities with my class, work, and of course relaxing after all the studying xD So I can't promise when exactly the next update will be. I'm really sorry and I hope you understand (though I'm pretty sure you do; you've all been so supportive and telling me to take my time :D That really helps, thanks a lot!).**

**Anyway, there is another thing I'm truly sorry about (spoiler, sort of ;D): there's another cliff hanger. Yup, I did it again. It just works really well right now, since I've got multiple ideas at the same time and…well, I already wrote a lot about that in the author's note at the end of this chapter (yes, I wrote that one first xD). **

**My author's notes are way too long. :S Anyway. There's one more thing I need to write down, which is for the people who haven't read the manga. In one of the latest Egoist chapters, Hiroki's parents send him match-making photo's. Nowaki sees them and gets a little worried about it, but at the end of the chapter Hiroki sends the pictures back to his parents with a note saying that he's already together with someone he 'treasures'. (The exact words will appear in this chapter ;D)**

**Well, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter (and I can't wait until I get to write the next one :D), and I really hope you'll like it as well. As always, please let me know what you think, and I'll see you next time!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Junjou Romantica.**

* * *

><p>"<em>Then does that mean that I can finally meet your parents?"<em>

Hiroki opened his mouth, then closed it again.

_What?_

He stared at Nowaki, who was still giving him a beaming smile.

"Wh- How did this suddenly come up?!"

If possible, his lover smiled even brighter.

"I was just thinking, if we'll always be together, then it's only a matter of time before I meet your parents, right?"

Hiroki felt his eyes widen.

_So that's why…_

Then he suddenly realized something.

"Wait, isn't that like 'Let's meet my future in-laws' or something? Ha ha…" he trailed off, awkwardly scratching the back of his head.

Nowaki's eyes widened and began to sparkle even more.

_O crap._

"Hiro-san! Does that mean…?"

Before he could finish his sentence, Hiroki had grabbed a pillow and hit him in the face.

"Oh no, don't you dare! I-I didn't say anything like that, you baka! Don't go making up things on your own!"

Nowaki grinned at him.

"You didn't say anything like _what_, Hiro-san?"

He could feel his cheeks heating up.

"You-You know what I mean!"

Nowaki just kept on smiling at him.

"A-Anyway!" he said, in an attempt to change the topic, "I'm far too busy to meet up with my parents anytime soon. Professor Miyagi's been giving me lots of work lately, and it seems like it's only becoming more, so…"

"But…"

"Plus, it's really not that much of a big deal, meeting my parents-"

"Hiro-san…"

"-you'd probably be bored anyway, they're not that special or anything…"

"Hiro-san!"

Hiroki looked up at him, startled. Nowaki almost never raised his voice like that.

Blue eyes stared back at him, dead serious.

"Hiro-san, you shouldn't talk about your parents like that! I'm sure they're great people, and I would love to meet them. And I absolutely wouldn't be bored!"

Hiroki could only stare at his lover. Where had that just come from? Then it suddenly dawned on him.

_Oh…Of course he's not going to like it if I say something like that…Nowaki has never known his parents…_

Ashamed, he averted his eyes.

"I-I'm sorry," he mumbled.

He could hear Nowaki sigh. Two seconds later, long arms were wrapped around him and he was pulled into a warm embrace.

"It's okay, Hiro-san," Nowaki whispered to him, stroking his hair.

They stayed like that for a little while, until Nowaki asked: "So can I…can I meet them? Your parents?"

Hiroki hesitated.

_It would make him really happy, wouldn't it? But…_

"Hiro-san…"

Nowaki pulled back a little, so that he could look him in the eyes.

"Hiro-san, your parents don't know, do they?"

Hiroki gave him an incredulous look.

"Of course they don't know, baka! Why else would they have sent me those match-making photos?!"

Nowaki suddenly started beaming again, which made Hiroki feel a little uneasy for some reason.

"W-what are you smiling about?!"

Nowaki grinned at him.

"I was just remembering what you wrote in that letter to your parents."

Hiroki could feel his cheeks heating up.

"I-I have no idea what you're talking about…"

"Don't you remember, Hiro-san? I can quote it, if you want to," Nowaki said, tone half teasing and half serious.

This made Hiroki blush even more.

"No thanks," he said, averting his eyes so he didn't have to look at Nowaki anymore. He felt like if he'd have to watch the expression on his lovers face any longer, his head would surely explode.

'_I am currently with someone I…treasure…'_

No, he didn't need Nowaki to quote those words. He could remember them perfectly well. After all, they had come straight from his heart.

"Hiro-san…" his lover started, suddenly serious again, "your parents…won't they want to know who that 'someone' is?"

Hiroki looked up at him, wide-eyed.

_He's got a point…_

"Yes, probably…they haven't called yet, though. I wonder why… Maybe they've finally realized that I'm doing just fine without their interference? Anyway, it's quite convenient that they seem to accept it without asking questions."

"Hiro-san…" Nowaki started. Hiroki looked up at the hesitation in his voice and noticed his lover averting his eyes a little.

_He's been doing that a lot lately…_

"It's not…It's not about me, is it?"

Hiroki frowned, confused.

"What are you talking about?"

Nowaki completely looked away now, fiddling with the bed sheets.

"You're not…ashamed of introducing me to your parents, are you?"

Hiroki's mouth almost fell open.

_He's not…He's not seriously thinking that, is he?_

One look at Nowaki gave him the answer.

_Yes. Yes, he definitely is._

Hiroki reached out and hit his lover on the head.

"You baka! How can you even think that?! We've been together for how long now? And you still dare to think I would be ashamed of you?! That's just insulting!"

Nowaki looked up at him, wide-eyed.

"N-no…I didn't mean…"

"Plus," Hiroki continued, while trying to calm himself down, "you're like the perfect son-in-law. You're caring, considerate, you can cook, damn it, you're even a doctor!"

Nowaki's grin was slowly making its way back onto his face, and his eyes were starting to sparkle. It was then that Hiroki realized what he'd just said.

"Ah-No! I-I didn't mean…"

He was pulled into a bone-crushing hug.

"Hiro-san! Thank you so much!"

"Y-You're welcome," Hiroki mumbled, once again blushing bright red.

He let his head rest against Nowaki's shoulder and closed his eyes, sighing contently. His earlier tiredness was coming back to him, and before he knew it, he was dozing off again. Just when he was about to fall asleep, Nowaki asked him one more time: "So, can I meet them, Hiro-san?"

_I guess it can't be helped-I need to tell them someday. Still…_

It wasn't exactly easy, telling your parents you'd been together with another man for years.

"…I'll think about it," he mumbled.

The last thing he noticed before drifting off to sleep was Nowaki pulling him even closer, softly kissing the top of his head and whispering:

"Thank you, Hiro-san."

* * *

><p><em>Wednesday<em>

"You know what the rules are, right?"

Misaki rolled his eyes, annoyed. Today was the appointment with Ijuuin, and since even Usagi-san had to admit that Misaki really needed to go, the novelist had decided to set some rules. Unfortunately, he also found it necessary that Misaki could recite them.

"Yes, yes, I know."

Usagi-san raised his eyebrows expectantly.

With another roll of his eyes and a sigh, Misaki summed up: "Not being there any longer than is necessary, making sure to be as far away from Ijuuin-sensei as possible, trying not to be alone with Ijuuin-sensei, and having my phone with me at all times."

Usagi-san smiled contently and reached out to ruffle his hair.

"Good boy."

Misaki swatted his hand away.

"Jeez, I'm not a dog or something!"

The novelist smirked at him.

"No, you're not."

Usagi-san leaned forward until his lips were almost touching Misaki's. Looking into the man's beautiful violet eyes, he felt like his heart stopped for a moment.

"I wouldn't be doing this if you were a dog, after all."

Usagi-san closed the distance between them, and soft yet firm lips captured Misaki's. Still a little annoyed, Misaki tried to push Usagi-san away, but the older man was stronger. Before he knew it, he was shoved against the wall and cold hands were roaming over his body. Two seconds later, Usagi-san was kissing him again, this time more passionately.

Hesitantly, Misaki started kissing back. The novelist apparently saw this as a sign to continue, because within seconds, Misaki's shirt was on the floor and Usagi-san was leaving a trail of kisses all over him.

"Usag-"

A pair of lips silenced him, and, knowing it was no use trying to resist, Misaki gave into it again. He closed his eyes and when Usagi-san moved his lips to the sensitive skin of his neck and started sucking there, he unconsciously tilted his head back to give the man more access.

The lips started moving again, lower. When Misaki felt a tongue slide around his right nipple, he opened his eyes with a gasp.

"Ah…!U-usagi-san!"

Then his eyes fell on the clock.

_O crap, crap, crap!_

Hastily, he pushed Usagi-san away, in which he only succeeded because he took the other man by surprise.

"I'm super late now!"

"Then why don't you let me bring you to the university?" the novelist asked.

Misaki glared at him.

"You know why! That car of yours attracts too much attention. Plus I'm way too old to be dropped off all the time like some high school kid."

Misaki quickly picked up his T-shirt, which had landed in the most nearby corner of the room.

"Ah, look what you did! It's totally wrinkled now! And I had just ironed it this morning!"

Usagi-san shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, maybe it's better this way. You shouldn't dress up for Ijuuin-sensei."

Misaki shot him another glare, annoyed.

"I'll also have to wear this in the restaurant, you know."

Usagi-san's eyebrows shot up so quickly that it would have been really comical – if only Misaki hadn't suddenly realized something.

_Crap. I totally forgot to tell him!_

"You're…you're going to have dinner with him?"

Upon seeing the sad look in Usagi-san's eyes, Misaki hastily explained: "No, no! Only with Todou-kun, really!"

Usagi-san's face became more relaxed, but his eyes still held some worry.

"Well, you better make sure that Ijuuin-sensei doesn't hear about it. He's the type to invite himself to something like that."

_He's got a point…I hope Todou won't say anything about it._

Another look at the clock threw Misaki in a fit of panic again.

"I really need to go now, Usagi-san! I'm not sure how late I'll be back, so please don't wait for me. Bye, have a nice-"

He was silenced, once again, by a pair of lips.

When they broke apart, Usagi-san smiled softly at him.

"You too, Misaki."

He was already stepping out of the apartment when the novelist called him.

"Misaki?"

He turned around and found Usagi-san looking at him, face a mix between worry and love.

"Please be careful."

"I will," Misaki mumbled, turning around and desperately trying to keep his face from turning red.

* * *

><p>"You and Takahashi-kun are getting along very well, aren't you?"<p>

Shinobu nodded and smiled at Miyagi.

"Yeah, definitely. He's a nice guy."

Miyagi smirked a little.

"Told you so."

Shinobu rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. No need to rub it in, old man."

They were currently on their way to the station. Miyagi had to go to work, and since Shinobu didn't have any lectures until later this morning, he'd decided to accompany his lover. It felt nice, doing this kind of thing.

_It really feels like we're a couple._

Shinobu looked up at Miyagi, who was silently humming, a content smile lingering on his face. He looked even more handsome than usual.

Hesitantly, Shinobu reached out and slid his hand in Miyagi's.

The older man stiffened and gave him a sideways glance, which surprised Shinobu. Hadn't they been doing this all the time lately? Miyagi had even kissed him a few times in public! So what was with that reaction?

_We haven't been doing anything in public since before the weekend though…But it's not like that's very long ago. _

"M-miyagi?"

His lover sighed and rubbed his forehead with his free hand.

"Shinobu…I-I really think we shouldn't be doing this anymore."

Shinobu felt his heart sink.

_W-what?_

He couldn't be serious, could he? After that fight they'd had more than a week ago, Shinobu had thought the matter was finally settled. Miyagi seemed more than okay with acting like a couple in public, and they'd had a great time.

_We _had_ a great time…right? Or was it only me?_

An uneasy feeling was settling itself in his stomach, which only increased when Miyagi slowly withdrew his hand from Shinobu's grip.

"I'm sorry…It's just too…risky. I can't-"

Suddenly, Miyagi fell silent. He stared at a point somewhere behind Shinobu, eyes wide and a panicked expression on his face.

"Miyagi? What's wrong?"

His lover didn't answer, so Shinobu turned around and followed his gaze.

They had entered a slightly more crowded area, and at the other side of the street Shinobu saw some people who were probably also making their way to the station. Miyagi seemed to be staring at a middle-aged woman in a formal skirt and blouse, who was talking into her cell phone. As if she could feel their gazes, the woman looked up, studied them for a moment, then gave a little wave and continued talking. When she'd disappeared around a corner, Miyagi let out a sigh.

"That was close."

When he saw Shinobu's questioning face, he explained: "She's a colleague."

Shinobu's eyes widened.

_Oh…I guess it really was a close call, then._

They had unconsciously slowed down, but now Miyagi put a hand on his shoulder to make them stand still. Shinobu really didn't like the look in his eyes.

_He's looking way too serious…_

"Shinobu…This is why we can't do that anymore. The risk is too big…what if she had seen us?"

"But…"

He trailed off, not exactly knowing what he wanted to say. He had to admit that Miyagi was right to be worried. They _were_ taking big risks, after all. But…

"Then how are we ever going to be a normal couple?!"

Miyagi looked a bit taken aback by his outburst, but Shinobu couldn't help himself. The words just kept flowing.

"I understand that you're worried, and that you don't want to lose your job. Heck, I even understand that we're not normal! But I don't want to hide my whole life! I just…just want…"

He fell silent again, desperately trying to blink away the tears that had started to form in his eyes.

_I just want to be with you._

"Shinobu-chin…"

Shinobu looked up. Even though Miyagi seemed a bit awkward about the situation – people were giving them weird looks – his eyes were full of worry. He reached out and grabbed Shinobu's shoulder.

"Listen, I-I'm sorry for making you upset. I'd meant to talk to you about it earlier, but…Well, I didn't, and I should have."

He seemed to hesitate for a moment. Then he leaned towards Shinobu a little and, voice lowered, he added:

"…I want to be able to just be together too, you know."

Shinobu looked up at him, wide-eyed.

_It's like he just read my mind…_

Then the full meaning of the words hit him, and he could feel his cheeks heating up and his heart skip a beat.

Coming from Miyagi, that was practically an 'I love you'.

A smile started to form on Shinobu's lips, which became a grin when he noticed his lover looking away a little and awkwardly scratching the back of his head.

_Seriously, who's the older one here?_

His heart was still beating a little faster than normal, though, and the words kept repeating themselves in his head.

_I really love him…_

Miyagi, meanwhile, was looking at his watch in disbelief.

"Eh, it's that late already?! Crap, I really need to go, or I'll miss my ride."

He looked back at Shinobu, an apologetic look on his face.

"I'm seriously sorry about this, Shinobu. We can talk about it tonight, though, if you want to."

Shinobu nodded. He didn't want to, really, but they needed to face this problem together.

_Together._

The thought made him smile.

"Yes, that's fine. Now hurry up, old man, or you'll be late."

Miyagi made a quasi-offended face.

"Oi! You shouldn't be patronizing your elders, Shinobu-_chin_."

Shinobu's heart skipped a beat again. Since he'd told Miyagi that he didn't like it if the man addressed him like that in a serious conversation, it had become sort of a pet name, and every time Miyagi used it Shinobu could feel his cheeks heating up.

"Yes, yes, I know. Now go before Kamijou-san murders you."

Miyagi's face darkened a little.

"Yes, he might just do that…He's really dangerous when he gets his hands on a book…"

_I can imagine that, yes._

"Well, I'll be going then…"

Miyagi seemed to hesitate, then put his hand on Shinobu's shoulder again and gave it a little squeeze.

"…Have a nice day, Shinobu."

Trying very hard not to blush _again_, Shinobu mumbled: "…Yeah, you too."

With one last smile and a wave, Miyagi dashed off towards the station. Shinobu stared after him, heart still beating a little faster than usual.

…_I love you so much, Miyagi. You have no idea._

* * *

><p>"I'm so excited!"<p>

Todou was more skipping then walking, swinging his arms back and forth and wearing a huge smile on his face. Even though Misaki couldn't say he felt the same way – the word 'anxious' was more fitting – just looking at Todou made him smile as well.

_I'm glad we're going, after all._

"Oh, and did I tell you already that I made reservations for the restaurant? I wanted to be sure that we would be able to eat there."

Misaki's eyes widened a little.

"T-that's great! Thank you, Todou-kun!"

Todou smiled back at him.

"You're welcome, Takahashi-kun."

Misaki continued to look at his friend while they walked. He could perfectly remember the first time they met, when he'd dropped his phone strap from "The Kan" and Todou had picked it up. He'd immediately had the feeling that they could become great friends, and it turned out he had been right. Sometimes he still couldn't believe how lucky he was.

_Todou really is an awesome friend…_

Then Misaki thought back to the day before, when he'd met up with Takatsuki. Apart from the slightly awkward moment when Takatsuki had kissed Miyagi, they'd certainly had a great time, and the memories alone were enough to make him smile.

_Yes, I definitely am very lucky._

He was snapped out of his thoughts by Todou's excited voice.

"Oh! We're almost there!"

Misaki looked up and, indeed, they'd entered the street where Ijuuin lived. A few minutes later, they were standing in front of the mangaka's apartment, waiting for the door to be opened.

As he stared at the handle, Misaki noticed that the palms of his hands had become a little sweaty and that his heart was beating faster than usual. Images of earlier meetings were showing in his head – Ijuuin smiling at him, placing a hand on his shoulder…Ijuuin's lips coming closer…Ijuuin kissing him…

Shaking his head a little, Misaki tried to push the images to a far corner of his mind. He couldn't help but continue to worry, though.

_I really hope everything will turn out fine…_

He almost jumped when the door opened.

There stood Ijuuin, looking as handsome as ever. Even the bags under his eyes – indicating that he still had a deadline to meet, even though the sketches were ready – couldn't ruin his good looks.

"Takahashi-kun! Todou-kun! It's so good to see you again. Come in, please."

Ijuuin opened the door wide and gestured for them to enter his apartment. They complied, Todou going first, practically bouncing, and Misaki following him. The feeling of anxiety increased the moment he stepped over the threshold, but he told himself to shake it off.

_You're just visiting an acquaintance, and Todou is with you. There's nothing to worry about._

While they took off their shoes, Ijuuin waited for them at the end of the hallway.

"Would you like something to drink, or do you want to see the sketches first?" he asked, giving them another bright smile.

Upon noticing Todou's excited expression, Ijuuin grinned.

"I see. The manga it is. If Takahashi-kun is okay with it too, of course."

The mangaka turned toward Misaki and looked at him questioningly.

"Ah-yes! Of course, I'd love to see the sketches!"

Ijuuin smiled at him, a little longer than necessary, which sparked an uneasy feeling in Misaki's stomach. He quickly averted his gaze.

"Well, let's go then."

Two minutes later, Todou and Misaki were sitting in Ijuuin's workroom, eagerly reading the new pages of "The Kan".

"Wow, it's awesome," Todou sighed when they were done.

Misaki nodded. Despite all of his worries, he couldn't help but be enthusiastic about the new chapter. It _was_ the best manga series ever, after all.

"Yes, it's even better than usual! That plot twist was so cool, I definitely didn't see it coming!"

Ijuuin, who was going through some documents – probably work-related ones – at the other end of the room, looked up and smiled at them.

"I'm really glad that you enjoy it. Readers like you keep me motivated and make this a job worth doing. Really, I can't thank you enough."

Misaki found himself smiling back at the mangaka.

_He really is a nice person after all. _

"You definitely deserve it, Ijuuin-sensei! "The Kan" is my all-time favorite manga series," he answered. Todou nodded in agreement.

"Yes, mine as well." He took a glance at Misaki, then added: "We even became friends because of it."

Ijuuin raised his eyebrows.

"Really? I'd like to hear more about that, if you don't mind telling me."

"Sure!" Todou grinned.

Ijuuin smiled again and motioned toward the door of his workroom.

"Shall we talk over it with some drinks?"

They agreed and followed their host to the living room, where Todou and Misaki settled on the couch while Ijuuin disappeared into the kitchen to get them something to drink. Not much later he came back with three glasses of soda, which he put on the table in front of them before sitting down next to Misaki.

"So tell me, how did you two meet?"

While Todou started telling the story about the phone strap, Misaki tried not to think about the fact that Ijuuin was sitting next to him, or about what had happened the last time they had been in this position. Todou was there too, after all, so it wasn't like anything would happen. He shouldn't worry so much about it.

Still, he couldn't shake off the feeling that Ijuuin was sitting just a little too close to him.

_And is it just me or is he coming even closer?_

Misaki almost yelped when he suddenly felt a hand lightly touching his. He quickly looked at Ijuuin and jumped a little when he found the man staring back at him, a light smirk on his face.

Heart beating in his throat, Misaki turned back to Todou, who'd reached the end of the story.

"…and from that day on, we started hanging out together."

Ijuuin leaned forward and Misaki stiffened. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized the mangaka was simply reaching for his drink on the table.

"Well, I'm really glad I indirectly helped you form a friendship. It's the least I can do to pay back for all of your support."

Todou's eyes widened a little.

"N-not at all! We're just really glad to be able to read your works, sensei! Right, Misaki?"

"Ah-yes! Definitely!"

They were silent for a moment, until Todou asked: "Erm, do you mind if I use the toilet, Ijuuin-sensei?"

The mangaka smiled at him.

"No, of course not, Todou-kun. It's in the hallway, second door on the left. Can you find it on your own?"

"Sure, no problem. Thank you, sensei."

Misaki's eyes widened.

_Wait, that means…_

Todou got up and made his way to the door.

…_that we'll be alone…_

The moment his friend closed the door behind him, the silence from earlier returned, but this time it wasn't just a quiet moment between acquaintances.

_This is really uncomfortable…_

To have something to do, Misaki picked up his drink and took a sip. He focused on his glass, not daring to look at Ijuuin, who was still sitting _very _close to him.

Then Misaki suddenly realized something.

_O God, Usagi-san is going to kill me…_

He'd definitely broken two of the rules just now.

"He doesn't know, does he?"

Misaki looked up, surprised. Ijuuin was staring at him, his expression a mix between interest and something Misaki couldn't quite place.

"E-excuse me?"

"Todou-kun. He doesn't know about your relationship with Usami-sensei."

This time, it sounded more like a statement than a question, and Misaki didn't know what to answer.

_How does he know that anyway?_

"Takahashi-kun…"

Ijuuin leaned forward and slid his hand over Misaki's, which made his heart start beating twice as fast as normal, but not in a good way.

_Not like when Usagi-san does that…_

"It would be much easier to just show him, you know."

Ijuuin's face was dangerously close now. Misaki wanted to lean back or push the other man away, but he felt like he was paralyzed.

_What does he mean by that?_

"How…How do you mean?"

The mangaka smirked at him, which increased the nasty feeling in Misaki's stomach.

"Just like this."

And before he could do anything to stop the other man, Ijuuin closed the gap between them by pressing his lips against Misaki's.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: ...As you've probably noticed, I'm kind of into cliff hangers lately. Hinatagirl18 commented that she liked them (I'm glad at least one person likes them xD) and that they're a great way to add suspense to the story. I find myself agreeing with her. Plus I've got multiple ideas/story lines in my head now, which are all mixed together, so I almost can't help but give you cliff hangers. It just works this way. **

**But yes, this is a really mean one, especially since you'll have to wait some time before the new chapter. All I can say is that I'm really sorry about it, but that I really can't do anything about it. I wish I could write more now, too. ;)**

**About the Nowaki meeting the parents part: I once read a fan fic about that, in which the reason for Hiroki to give in to Nowaki's pleas was the fact that Nowaki doesn't have parents himself (or at least doesn't know them). I remembered that while I was writing the scene, and decided I should put it in the story, because it seems very logical to me. I'd like to give the author credit for it, but unfortunately I can't remember the name of the story. Anyway, if you recognize the idea, I just wanted to say that it isn't mine. **

**Ooh, I'm so looking forward to writing the next chapter…:D I've got the ideas for the next couple of chapters kind of worked out now. **

**Next time: You'll see what happens to poor Misaki, and Akihiko has persuaded (a.k.a. forced ;D) certain people to go out drinking with him…**


	13. Phone calls and panic attacks

**A/N: Hello again! Yes, I'm still alive. My sincerest apologies for not updating for such a ridiculously long time. I wish I had a good excuse, but it was mostly tiredness and lots and lots of laziness. Throw a few new fandoms in the mix and well…That doesn't really work xD On top of that, I also had some troubles writing this chapter, so I hope it turned out right…There are some things I had planned for to happen that haven't happened yet, but you'll see those in the next chapter :) Also, this chapter focuses on Akihiko and Misaki, but Egoist and Terrorist will be back in the next chapter as well. **

**Well, time to reply to some reviews :D**

**Visitor: Thank you so much for two wonderful reviews! I'm glad you like what's going on in the story :D I'll try my best on the meeting the parents scene…I look forward to writing it. Ha ha, yeah, Misaki screwed up xD And I love your idea of Misaki, Todou and Shinobu going out for drinks…If you don't mind, I'm definitely going to use it :D **

**Hanako: Thank you so much! That's so awesome to hear :D I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well.**

**Bajusz: Well, you'll have to wait and see…;D Thank you very much for reviewing, I'm glad to hear that you enjoy it! :D **

**Alana-kittychan: Yes, he did ;) But don't worry, he'll stay with Usagi :D Thanks a lot for reviewing and for all of the favorites and follows! :D**

**As always, thank you all so much for all of your support (50 favorites now! yeah! :D) and of course for your patience! I've got lots of plans for the next couple of chapters…;D For now, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter, and please let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: You probably already get it by now, but I don't own Junjou Romantica.**

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><p>For what felt like the hundredth time, Akihiko let out a long sigh. A look at the clock on the wall told him it was 17.07 – two minutes later than the last time he'd checked.<p>

_Please be careful, Misaki._

It wasn't that he didn't trust his lover – hell, there was no one he trusted more than Misaki. Ijuuin, on the other hand…That man had interfered with their love live one time too many. On top of that, the phone call he'd gotten from the mangaka the other day was still bothering him.

"_I haven't done anything…yet."_

Akihiko gritted his teeth. That damn bastard. If he'd only touch so much as a hair on Misaki's head…

Suddenly, the feeling of being observed snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned his head to find that Hiroki was looking at him intently, eyes a little worried and his usual frown between his brows. When his childhood friend noticed Akihiko staring back, his expression changed into an irritated one.

"What's up with you tonight? You practically drag me to this bar and now you won't say anything at all? Don't tell me I got through the trouble of coming here just to look at your angry mug all evening."

A little smile formed on Akihiko's lips. No matter how hard Hiroki tried to put on a mask, he would always be able to see through it. Right now, his friend was definitely worried about him, even though he didn't want to show it.

"Don't worry, we're here because of something very important, Hiroki."

_Or rather, _someone _very important._

The brunette raised an eyebrow at him.

"And that would be…?"

Akihiko merely smiled.

"That's for you to guess and for me to know."

"Tsk. Baka," Hiroki huffed, crossing his arms and looking away in annoyance.

"But while we're here," Akihiko continued, smirking, "you might as well give me an update on you and Kusama-kun."

Hiroki turned back to him, eyes narrowing.

"If you think I'm going to give you more material for your dirty BL-novels, you're dead wrong."

Just at that moment, a waitress stopped at their table, and judging by the partly embarrassed, partly amused look on her face, she'd caught that last line. Instantly, Hiroki's cheeks turned scarlet, and he stuttered a little when he asked for a glass of red wine. The waitress turned towards Akihiko and he shot her the kind of smile he usually reserved for work-related parties, before deciding to go along with Hiroki and ordering a red wine as well.

When the girl - who was blushing as well by then - wasn't within earshot anymore, Hiroki turned to glare at Akihiko, face still flushed.

"Look what you did, Bakahiko!"

Akihiko raised an eyebrow at him.

"What _I_ did? I believe _you_ were the one who started talking about being an inspiration for B-"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Hiroki interrupted, frantically trying to make him shut up. Akihiko had to stifle a laugh at his friend's obvious discomfort.

_I wonder if he'll ever get used to the thought of having a male lover._

Or maybe it wasn't that Hiroki himself wasn't okay with it – he probably just worried too much about other people being okay with it. He also wasn't the type to show affecting easily, so that might be another reason why he didn't like to act lovey-dovey with Kusama when in company.

Still…

"Hiroki…"

His friend looked at him, a bit cautiously.

"Are you okay with it?"

Hiroki blinked, confused.

For a moment, Akihiko was tempted to say it out loud, but that would be a little _too_ mean. So he lowered his voice and leaned over to the other man a bit before clarifying his question.

"Being gay, I mean."

Hiroki's eyes widened and he jolted back from Akihiko.

"What-How-"

Akihiko leaned back in his chair and rolled his eyes.

"Seriously, Hiroki, you're not going to ask me how I know that, are you?"

"I-" Hiroki started, but quickly shut his mouth when the waitress arrived with their drinks, clearly not wanting to make the same mistake again. By the time she left, he seemed to be over his shock and was once again glaring at Akihiko.

"Of course I wasn't going to say that! I was just wondering where that suddenly came from, is all."

Akihiko shrugged his shoulders.

"Just wondering. You get embarrassed about it easily, you know."

"T-that's," Hiroki spluttered. "Of course it's embarrassing, you idiot! It's not exactly _normal_ for two men to be together like that!"

Akihiko stared at him for a moment, pondering. Did he really feel that way, or was he just repeating what society thought of it?

"Wh-what?" the brunette asked, catching his gaze.

"…Do you really think that?"

Hiroki stared back at him for a few seconds, then averted his gaze. His usual scowl was completely gone for a moment, and he looked…vulnerable.

"Hiroki…there's nothing wrong with it, you know."

The scowl was back now, full force.

"Tsk. Easy for you to say! You never give a shit about what people think of you anyway. Which is logical, since you only have a few people around you anyway, and they seem to be okay with it. And seeing as your parents haven't disowned you yet, I assume they don't really mind, either."

Akihiko felt his eyes widen. Where had that suddenly come from?

_I have to admit he has a point, sort of. Although it's not like my father immediately accepted Misaki…_

He debated for a moment if he should tell Hiroki about that, but then decided that it was a story for another moment. Right now, there was something else that had caught his attention during his friend's little speech. Something that had rather surprised him.

"…Are you saying you haven't told your parents yet?"

Hiroki's eyes widened again and his face flushed.

_Bingo._

"Really, Hiroki, how long have you two been together?" He paused for a moment, thinking, then added: "Haven't they sent you match-making photo's or something? Your parents don't seem like the types to stay out of your love life."

Hiroki let out a long sigh.

"They have, actually…"

When Akihiko looked at him expectantly, he continued.

"Remember that time we ran into each other? You were with Takahashi-kun and Nowaki was with me."

He nodded, smiling when he thought about how surprised Hiroki had looked.

"Yes."

Hiroki scratched the back of his head, looking a bit awkward.

"I was returning the pictures they'd sent me."

That surprised Akihiko. Sure, he didn't expect Hiroki to go on such a date, but…

"Then how did you explain the fact that you returned them to your parents?"

Within seconds, Hiroki's face was bright red, and he suddenly appeared to be very interested in the glass of wine standing before him.

"I…more or less told them that I already have someone," he mumbled.

Akihiko was even more surprised now. He opened his mouth to reply, but then he noticed the man standing behind Hiroki. He was holding his finger against his lips, and Akihiko had to hide a smirk before sending him an understanding look.

"And they haven't asked you about that person yet?" he asked Hiroki, who hadn't noticed the silent conversation that had just taken place.

The brunette shook his head.

"No…" He paused, picked up his glass of wine and stared at the contents. Akihiko got the feeling that whatever he was going to say, he didn't find it easy.

_Should I warn him…?_

Before he could make up his mind, however, Hiroki blurted out: "But now Nowaki's practically begging me to meet them, and I promised him I would think about it, but I just don't know…"

"Oh! Meeting the parents? I can hear the wedding bells already…"

Hiroki almost dropped his glass.

"P-professor Miyagi?!" he said, turning around so fast that Akihiko was afraid he might get a whiplash.

"Good evening, my sweet honey~!"

Miyagi, hair and clothes dripping wet – apparently it had started to rain since Hiroki and Akihiko had gotten here – pulled back a chair and sat down, but not before reaching out an arm to hug a stunned Hiroki, whose eyes widened comically.

"Wh-what are _you_ doing here?!"

Miyagi fake-pouted.

"Aw, why so harsh?"

Then he turned towards Akihiko and smiled politely.

"Good evening, Usami-san. Thank you for inviting me."

He shot a look at Hiroki, then grinned and added: "When you told me Hiroki would be here, I just _had_ to come as well!"

Hiroki's gaze turned dark.

"He told you, huh? Well, he certainly didn't tell _me_."

Akihiko smirked at the menacing look that was thrown his way.

"I thought you liked surprises, Hiroki."

His friend gritted his teeth.

"You know very well that I don't."

"Ah, Hiroki, aren't you happy to see me?"

Hiroki shot his neighbor an irritated look.

"Don't call me that! And for your information, I don't really like it when people hug me in the middle of a bar, especially not when they're dripping wet."

"Aw, honey, it's not my fault it's raining!"

"Then don't hug me!"

Akihiko couldn't help but snicker a little when he watched the two other men interact.

_It's just Hiroki's luck to have to work under such a character. _

On the other hand, Miyagi seemed like one of those rare people who were able to see right through Hiroki's mask and get him out of his shelter, just like Akihiko himself. And Hiroki could definitely use some more of those people around him.

While Hiroki and Miyagi continued their bickering, Akihiko shot a glance at the clock again. 17.41. Well, at least the time was going by somewhat faster now. Still, he would have to wait a few more hours before he could see his lover again. He let out another sigh.

_Please be careful, Misaki._

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><p>Misaki was having a panic attack.<p>

Ijuuin's lips were on his, and it felt like the kiss was becoming more forceful every second - he thought he even felt a tongue for a moment – and Todou could come back any moment now and Usagi-san was so going to kill him and –

Suddenly, the mangaka drew back a little, and Misaki let out a sigh of relief. Thank God. It appeared this wasn't much worse than the other times Ijuuin had tried to make a move on him.

_For a moment, I thought he…_

The older man smiled at him, white teeth almost sparkling, and reached out for the glass Misaki was still holding. Gently, very gently, he peeled his fingers off of it, one by one, and by the time he put it on the table, Misaki's hand was shaking uncontrollably. Ijuuin turned back to him, and the look in his eyes made Misaki feel like he was frozen on the spot.

_Oh no…no, no, no-_

Before he knew it, Ijuuin's lips were back on his, much more forceful this time. A hand found its way to the back of his neck, were it stayed, holding him, pulling him even closer to Ijuuin. A tongue ran down his lower lip, asking for entrance, but Misaki refused to open his mouth.

_I need to push him away, make him stop, I need to…_

The sudden feeling of a hand sliding under his shirt made him gasp a little, and Ijuuin took advantage of the moment by slipping his tongue between Misaki's lips. Before he knew it, Misaki was being pushed down on the couch, the mangaka on top of him, exploring his mouth with his tongue, one hand now tangled in Misaki's hair while the other roamed over his chest…

"Ta-Takahashi-kun?"

Misaki's head shot up, almost colliding with Ijuuin's, who backed away just fast enough.

Todou was standing in the doorway, eyes wide and mouth slightly opened, and stared at them.

_Shit._

Misaki had already been panicking, but now it felt like his heart had just stopped beating. Cold dread settled in his stomach, and he had to swallow a few times before he was able to say something.

"T-Todou-kun…"

After a few seconds of uncomfortable staring, Todou seemed to snap out of his stupor. A light blush became visible on his cheeks as he hesitantly took a step back.

"I-I'm sorry for interrupting…I'll just…"

He made a vague gesture to the door behind him, looked between Ijuuin and Misaki one more time and then practically fled from the room.

_O shit shit shit! He's totally got the wrong idea now! …Well, I am…uh… But not with Ijuuin! O God, what do I do now?!_

The best thing was probably to just explain the situation, but…

_What will he think when I tell him…? He already knows now, though…sort of…so…_

Before he could change his mind, he jumped up, ready to storm after Todou. However, before he'd taken so much as two steps, a hand gripped his wrist and spun him back around.

Ijuuin looked at him, once again slightly smirking, but Misaki thought he also saw something else in his eyes…A certain softness that the man usually didn't show.

His next words surprised Misaki even more.

"I _really_ like you, Takahashi-kun," Ijuuin mumbled, leaning close to him, so that their noses were almost touching.

Sure, he'd said that before (multiple times, even), but there was a certain sincerity to the words this time that made Misaki wonder…

_Does that mean he really _is_ in love with me?_

The mangaka had always looked so…amused whenever he tried something with Misaki, so he'd figured he was just being teased, or that maybe Ijuuin was somewhat confused…But he'd never expected the man to honestly like him.

_What do I do now? I can't possible return his feelings... I've got Usagi-san, after all. But I don't want to hurt him either…_

Ijuuin drew back and smiled at him, a real smile this time, not his usual smirk.

"You don't have to answer right now, Takahashi-kun. Just think about it, okay?"

He'd really have to tell the man no this time, Misaki realized, otherwise this would keep going on forever. Right now, however, there was something else he needed to do first.

So he just nodded, which earned him another sparkling smile from the mangaka. Then he gestured towards the door to the hallway.

"I…I need to…"

Ijuuin nodded in understanding.

"Sure, go find your friend. I'll be here."

Misaki gave another nod and, after a moment of hesitation, a small smile, and dashed off to find Todou.

* * *

><p>"So," Akihiko started, after Hiroki and Miyagi's bickering had quieted down, "Do you two go out drinking often?"<p>

He'd heard Hiroki complain about 'that stupid professor Miyagi' who 'just dragged me off to a bar again' countless times.

To his surprise, it was Miyagi who answered.

"Every now and then. Though we don't go as often as we used to, since-"

He cut himself of, but it wasn't hard to understand what – or rather who – he was talking about. Hiroki's next words confirmed Akihiko's suspicion.

"Yeah, since he's got that brat, he finally leaves me alone…Well, after school, that is."

Akihiko nodded slowly.

"I see…I bet Kusama-kun is very happy about that."

When Hiroki frowned at him, he clarified: "I suppose he didn't like it when you went out drinking with Miyagi-san?"

He'd seen the murderous looks Kusama had given the older man during their lunch appointment. Not that Akihiko could blame him, given the way Miyagi had been clinging to Hiroki.

"Th-that's none of your business!"

Hiroki's scowl did nothing to hide the uncomfortable expression on his face.

"Ah-so he really didn't like it."

"I-I didn't say-"

Akihiko raised an eyebrow at him and was about to open his mouth again when Miyagi suddenly turned towards Hiroki, an expression on his face that Akihiko couldn't quite place.

"Wait – Don't tell me he's still angry about _that_ time?!"

_That time?_

To be honest, Akihiko had only been prodding a bit, hoping to gain some more material for his next Junai Egoist book – he'd never expected any secrets to come out.

_But I'm pretty sure there's something big going on here…_

"W-well…that might be part of it…" Hiroki stuttered, cheeks flushing just a little, deliberately not looking at Miyagi.

_Yup, definitely suspicious._

Akihiko smirked. Oh, this was going to be interesting…

"Part of it?" Miyagi asked, frowning a little. "What else is he giving me murderous looks for every time we meet?"

Hiroki rolled his eyes.

"Don't pretend like you don't know, professor. You're attacking me practically every time you see me. Of course Nowaki doesn't like that. And neither does that brat of yours, by the way."

The frown became deeper and Miyagi let out a sigh.

"Shinobu knows there's nothing going on between us. Haven't you told Kusama-kun the same?"

"Of course I have! But the fact that you keep hugging me all the time doesn't make it any better!"

The older man let out another sigh, and, after a moment, said: "Okay then. I'll remember it."

Hiroki didn't look like he believed it, but he nodded anyway.

Akihiko had been following their conversation with interest. Suddenly, a crazy idea had struck him, and he felt his eyes grow wide.

_Could it be they…?_

Well, only one way to find out.

"So tell me, what exactly is it that Kusama-kun is angry about?"

Both Hiroki and Miyagi turned to him. At the surprised looks on their faces, Akihiko had to laugh a little.

"Don't tell me you'd forgotten I was here."

Hiroki's expression turned into a slightly panicked one, while Miyagi awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

"That's…well..." The older man started.

"It's not of your business, Bakahiko," Hiroki interrupted, his usual scowl back in place. He picked up his glass and drank the last of its contents, then added: "Tsk. Like I'd tell you something like that. You'd just use it for your perverted books again, without my permission."

_He's got me. Though I suppose it wasn't that hard to figure out._

"Those perverted books of mine sell very well, you know."

"I don't care about that!"

Hiroki slammed his glass on the table, but lowered his voice when he realized he was in the middle of a bar and people were looking at him. He sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"Anyway, let's talk about that brat of yours. Have you told him already?"

_Smooth change of subject, Hiroki._

Akihiko was just debating whether or not to press the subject, when his phone rang. He took it out of his pocket and looked at the display.

It felt like his heart stopped.

_Incoming call from: Misaki_

It was way too early for Misaki to need a ride home. He had plans to have dinner with that friend of his, after all. So either the plans were cancelled or…

Heart beating a little too fast, he picked up his phone.

"Misaki?"

"Good afternoon, Usami-sensei."

His eyes grew wide when he heard the voice of the last person he wanted to speak to.

"Ijuuin-sensei. What are you doing with Misaki's phone?"

He tried to keep his voice as even a possible, but it was hard.

A low chuckle came from the other end of the line.

"Well, I told you I'd keep you up to date about Takahashi-kun's life, didn't I?"

Akihiko gritted his teeth.

"Spit it out, Ijuuin," he growled, not bothering with honorifics this time. The man seriously pissed him off.

"Ah, yes…Well, let's say that in the middle of some…pleasant events, Todou-kun saw something he maybe shouldn't have seen. So now Takahashi-kun is after him to fix things, and I was left alone with nothing to do, so I figured: why not call Usami-sensei?"

The casual tone in which the words were delivered only increased Akihiko's anger…and the possible meaning of the words made his stomach clench.

"I'm only going to ask this one time, Ijuuin: what did you do to Misaki?"

Another chuckle.

"Oh, nothing _too_ bad…We just had a quick making out session. He seemed like he rather enjoyed it, though…"

_Making out session…enjoyed it…_

Suddenly, all Akihiko could see was Misaki, his precious Misaki, his lips all red and swollen and his cheeks scarlet, looking oh so beautiful, but not because of him, but because of that Ijuuin bastard…

His hands started to tremble and he gritted his teeth again.

Without saying anything back, he ended the call, jumped up and grabbed his coat.

"A-Akihiko? What's going on?" Hiroki asked, a concerned look on his face.

The other two men were standing now as well, and Akihiko noticed even Miyagi's expression was worried.

"Is Takahashi-kun okay?"

Akihiko narrowed his eyes.

"That bastard better make sure he's okay, otherwise I'm going to kill – No, scrap that, I'm going to kill him anyway."

Hiroki frowned.

"Akihiko, who-"

"I'm sorry, I've got to go now. Could you pay the drinks, Hiroki? I'll pay you back later," he answered, already a few steps away from their table.

"But-"

"Later, Hiroki," he called back, and hurried towards the door.

_Misaki, I've got to see Misaki._

Turns out it really was a good idea to pick a bar close to Ijuuin's apartment.

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><p>As Misaki had expected, Todou was sitting in Ijuuin's workroom, reading a volume of "The Kan". He looked completely relaxed, and Misaki wondered if maybe there was a chance that what he'd seen didn't bother him.<p>

He didn't dare to hope for it, though.

Misaki was still wondering what to say when Todou looked up and smiled at him.

"Ah-Takahashi-kun!"

The fact that his friend was smiling made him feel a little less anxious, but there was also something in Todou's expression that Misaki couldn't quite read. He bit his lip and hesitantly entered the room, stopping when he was standing about two meters in front of his friend.

"I-" he started, nervously twiddling his fingers, not daring to look at Todou. This was awkward.

_And even more difficult than I'd imagined._

"So…you and Ijuuin-sensei?"

Misaki's head shot up and his eyes widened at the phrasing.

_That's…that definitely doesn't sound right. _

Suddenly, he couldn't seem to get the words out fast enough.

"N-no! It's-It's not like that! Ijuuin-sensei and I…we're not…"

Todou frowned, confused.

"But…then why…"

Misaki averted his gaze, feeling his cheeks heat up.

"He…he says he…likes me."

There was a short silence before Todou spoke up again.

"And do you…like him back?"

Misaki looked up now, frantically shaking his head.

"No! W-well, I suppose I do, but…just not in _that_ way."

Another short silence.

"Have you told him that?"

Misaki nodded fervently.

"Yes! More than once, but he just-"

He quickly shut his mouth when he realized his mistake.

_Oh crap._

Todou's eyes widened and his brows shot up.

"You…He's done this before? Multiple times?!"

Misaki looked away again, really blushing now.

"…Yes," he mumbled, a bit ashamed.

He heard the sound of a chair being pushed back and before he knew it, Todou was standing before him. He put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing reassuringly.

"Don't worry Takahashi-kun, it'll be fine."

Misaki looked up at his friend, surprised.

"T-thanks, Todou-kun."

He was met with a soft smile.

"You're welcome."

They were silent for a while, until Todou suddenly let out a chuckle.

"Wh-what?" Misaki asked, confused.

"No, it's just…" his friend trailed off. After what seemed like a moment of hesitation, he continued: "I just thought that it seemed kind of fitting, you being gay…since I never hear you talk about girls…"

Misaki could only stare at him, wide-eyed, the words echoing around his head.

"…_you being gay…"_

Todou had said it so nonchalantly…Could that mean that he was okay with it?

Slowly, hesitantly, a feeling of relief started to spread through his body.

His friend, however, took Misaki's silence the wrong way.

"Ah-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-"

"No, it's okay," Misaki interrupted him. He paused, hesitated.

_I should tell him, right? He's my best friend, after all. He deserves to know._

He took a deep breath.

"Actually, I…"

They both startled at the sound of a bell ringing.

_Wonderful timing…_

In silence, they waited for Ijuuin to open the door, but after half a minute had passed, there was still no sign of the mangaka.

When the bell rang a second time, they shared a quick look and walked into the hallway.

"I should probably call Ijuuin-sensei," Todou said.

Misaki nodded, and while his friend walked towards the living room, he shot a glance at the front door…and froze. Through the glass next to the door, he could make out a familiar figure.

_U-usagi-san?!_

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><p><strong>AN: Uh-oh, someone's angry at Ijuuin…xD Yes, another cliff hanger…Eh…yeah. Ah well, at least it's not as bad as the last time xD And I don't plan on letting you wait this long another time :)**

**A special thanks to XxRin-sanxX, who gave me the idea of bringing up the kiss between Miyagi and Hiroki…there will be more about that later ;) Also, I know you asked for drunk Hiroki, and I had planned for that to happen, but it just didn't work out…I'm sorry! Maybe in the future, though? :)**

**Also, I know some people wanted Ijuuin dead…but there are also some people who think he's not that bad. I find myself going along with the last group, though that doesn't necessarily mean that Ijuuin will get away unharmed…;D **

**Please let me know what you think, and I hope to see you again next chapter!**


	14. Revelations and realizations

**A/N: Hello again! Well, this update wasn't as fast as I'd hoped (still fighting the laziness), but at least it's not been as long as last time…(not that that was very difficult xD). Anyway, here's chapter 14! Thank you all very much for reviewing, following, favoriting and just reading this story; it makes me very happy and feedback is always appreciated! I hope you'll all enjoy this chapter, and as always, please let me know what you think!**

**Alana-kittychan: yup, me loves drama ;) Thanks for reviewing!**

**Visitor: Yes, I like Todou as well :) Ha ha, yes, Shinobu is a fighter too, definitely xD Thank you for letting me use your idea, I really like it :D And thanks for reviewing, of course! I hope you'll like this chapter!**

**Bajusz: Thank you so much! :D I hope you'll enjoy this one as well!**

**Ooh, I almost forgot to tell you (for the ones who are interested ^^): I graduated! :D :D :D I'm so happy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Junjou Romantica.**

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><p><em>U-usagi-san?!<em>

For a moment, all Misaki could do was stand there in Ijuuin's hallway, heart beating a little too quickly, and stare at the front door.

_What…what is Usagi-san doing here?_

His eyes widened when a thought struck him.

_No way…He can't know what happened…can he?_

Before he could really think about it, though, the doorbell rang a third time, snapping him out of his stupor.

"Yes, yes, coming."

Misaki almost jumped when Ijuuin suddenly entered the hallway, Todou following short after him.

"O, hello Takahashi-kun," Ijuuin smiled at him, eyes lighting up. "It seems like someone has come for you, don't you think?"

Misaki could only stare at him. It almost sounded like…

But no, Ijuuin couldn't have known that Usagi-san would stop by…right?

"Well, no need to make him wait any longer," the mangaka continued cheerily, while walking over to the front door. The moment he pushed down the handle, the door was pushed open from the outside, almost smashing into Ijuuin, who jumped away just in time. Before Misaki could do so much as blink, Usagi-san was standing in front of him, gripping his shoulders just a little too tightly. Violet eyes looked down on him in worry, and suddenly Misaki felt the overwhelming urge to touch Usagi-san's face, to hug him close, to tell him that everything was fine, that he was fine – anything to make that look disappear.

But he couldn't, not with Ijuuin and Todou around.

_Todou…_

He shot a glance at his friend, who was staring at them, slightly frowning. Misaki's attention was quickly turned back to Usagi-san, though, when he felt the man's fingers brushing his face to push a strand of hair away.

"Misaki…are you okay?"

The words, spoken in that low, familiar voice, unleashed a storm of emotions Misaki didn't know he had been holding until that moment. He'd been anxious and upset and maybe a little bit scared, but - even though he knew having Usagi-san and Ijuuin stand in the same hallway could be nothing but trouble, not to mention Todou was still here – now that Usagi-san was standing in front of him, rubbing circles on his shoulder with his thumb, looking at him with that soft look on his face, he suddenly felt very relieved.

_I guess he makes me feel…safe…_

"Misaki…?"

He blinked.

"Ah-I'm fine, really! Nothing to worry about!"

He sent Usagi-san a soft smile, hoping to calm the man. Usagi-san returned the smile and looked him over once more, before letting go of Misaki's shoulders and slowly turning around.

_O no…O crap crap crap…!_

Misaki quickly raised his hand to stop Usagi-san, but he wasn't fast enough. With three long steps, Usagi-san was standing in front of Ijuuin.

"You…" the novelist's voice had taken a dangerous tone now, almost growling. "Why did you do that to Misaki?"

Misaki's jaw almost dropped.

_Wait, he _does _know?! How?!_

Ijuuin merely smirked, looking the other man straight in the eyes.

"Why, I thought I'd already made that clear. Like I've said before, I like Takahashi-kun. And he seemed to be enjoying himself as well, so…"

Usagi-san looked like he could explode any minute now, teeth gritted and hands balled into fists.

"That's not a good enough reason, you bastard."

Ijuuin raised an eyebrow at him.

"Oh no? I think it is. Besides," he leaned forward, as if to whisper something in Usagi-san's ear, only when he spoke, the words were loud enough for Misaki to catch them too, "it's not like he's _your_ property or something."

The words, or rather the tone in which Ijuuin spoke them, sent a shiver down Misaki's spine. He looked at Usagi-san, who didn't seem to be doing any better. Misaki could have sworn he saw a vein twitching on his forehead.

_This is bad…something's going to happen…_

Even though he had a terrible feeling about the whole situation, Misaki couldn't think of anything to do. It felt like he could only watch, frozen on the spot.

"I'm not saying that he's my _property_, but he_ is_ mine," Usagi-san growled back.

Ijuuin's smirk only grew wider.

"Wrong, Usami-sensei. Your memory must be failing you. I clearly recall telling you just now that Takahashi-kun rather enjoyed it. He was looking really cute, you know, with his cheeks all flushed and his lips-"

Misaki didn't even have time to get utterly embarrassed over the words, because before Ijuuin could finish his sentence, Usagi-san had raised his fist and punched the man on the cheek. Hard.

Misaki couldn't help but flinch a little at the action.

_That must really hurt…_

The hallway had gone completely silent. Ijuuin had his head turned away from Usagi-san, while holding a hand against his face. The novelist was glaring at him, wearing a grim expression, while Todou looked as helpless as Misaki felt.

Then Ijuuin let out a low grow of pain and looked back up at Usagi-san, his left cheek burning bright red. They just stared at each other for a moment, until Ijuuin's earlier smirk slowly started to re-appear on his face.

"Tsk. Didn't like to hear that, did you? It's the truth, though."

Usagi-san looked ready to punch him again, but the mangaka raised a hand.

"You seem very sure of yourself, Usami-sensei. But there are two persons needed for a relationship. So why don't we just ask Takahashi-kun?"

Slowly, a smirk not much unlike Ijuuin's became visible on Usagi-san's face. He took a step back, casually crossing his arms over his chest.

"That's the first time I actually agree with you, Ijuuin-sensei."

_Uh-oh._

Misaki's heart started beating faster and his face heated up when all eyes were suddenly on him.

"So, Misaki, who do you choose?"

The words were delivered casually, with a nonchalant smile, but Misaki had known Usagi-san for a long time now, and he could feel that the man was tensed.

His eyes widened at the thought.

_Wait…he doesn't seriously consider the option that I would choose Ijuuin, does he?_

Misaki stared at Usagi-san, who looked back at him with an indifferent face. His eyes betrayed him, though. Misaki could see the traces of doubt in them.

_Yes, he probably is…_

The whole idea was completely ridiculous. They had been together for such a long time, had experienced so much together – and now Usagi-san thought he would just throw that away?

_Impossible. Doesn't he know that I l-love him?_

Thinking that made another blush spread on his face, but he knew it was true. He really loved Usagi-san, and he would never give up on him.

_I should probably tell him that, but…_

His eyes wandered toward Todou, who was still only watching them, apparently not really sure what to do.

Saying it when Ijuuin would hear would be embarrassing enough, but with Todou there as well…

His friend caught his gaze and held it for a moment. Then he took a few hesitant steps back towards the living room.

"I could go…ehm…if you want to speak…privately."

Misaki felt immensely relieved at first, but then he noticed Usagi-san's sad eyes, directed at him, and it suddenly, finally hit him.

_Oh…I'm…I'm hurting him, aren't I? By feeling ashamed to say that I…how I feel about him when others are there. _

A nasty feeling settled in Misaki's stomach. He really was only causing Usagi-san trouble after all…

Suddenly, Ijuuin let out a snicker.

"Well, apparently Takahashi-kun isn't that sure of your relationship, Usami-sensei."

"That's-That's not true!" Misaki jumped in, before anyone else could speak up. Three pairs of eyes were turned toward him once more, but this time he pushed away his nerves. He couldn't be selfish, not right now, not when it was about Usagi-san.

"I-" he gulped, looking at Ijuuin for a moment, letting his eyes wander to Todou, before settling on Usagi-san's face, looking him directly in the eyes.

"I love Usagi-san."

The words were a little too rushed, and maybe spoken a little too quietly, but he got them out nonetheless.

Once again, the hallway went silent. Misaki couldn't tell what the others were doing at that moment, because all he could see was Usagi-san, how his eyes widened in surprise at first, then started shining with happiness, and how his face lit up with one of the most beautiful smiles Misaki had ever seen on him.

Before he knew it, he was being enveloped in a hug, surrounded by the familiar scent that was part cigarettes, part soap and part something that was just Usagi-san. He wrapped his own arms around the older man as well, and was pulled even closer in response.

"I love you too, Misaki," Usagi-san breathed in his ear, and Misaki was glad his now burning face was pressed against Usagi-san's chest.

The novelist pressed a kiss on the top of his head, then slowly untangled them. He shot an icy glare at Ijuuin, who was watching them, casually leaning against the wall. The mangaka still wore the same face he had before, but Misaki thought he saw a flash of something in his eyes – hurt, maybe? He thought back to the moment when Ijuuin had kissed him.

_If he really _is_ in love with me…then it must be hard for him to watch us._

Misaki's eyes landed on the nasty looking colour that Ijuuin's cheek had turned into and he couldn't help but feel a little bad for the man.

_Although I'm also mad at him for trying to hurt Usagi-san…_

"There's your answer, Ijuuin-sensei," Usagi-san broke the silence.

Ijuuin held the other man's gaze for a moment, then looked away.

"…I see. Well, it was nice seeing you again, Usami-sensei, Todou-kun…" he looked up at Misaki, "…Takahashi-kun. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a deadline to meet."

Without looking up again, Ijuuin walked down the hallway and disappeared into his work room, closing the door firmly behind him.

Usagi-san stared after him for a moment, then grabbed Misaki's wrist and started pulling him toward the front door.

"Let's go, Misaki."

They were standing outside before Misaki could do so much as blink, and Usagi-san was already making his (well, their) way to his ridiculously luxurious sports car when it finally occurred to Misaki to protest.

"But-wait-Usagi-saaan!"

The novelist stopped and looked back at him in disbelief.

"What, don't tell me you wanted to stay there?"

Misaki fervently shook his head.

"Of course not! But…Todou-kun…"

He shot a look over his shoulder to find that his friend had followed them. To his relief, Todou gave him a smile and finished his sentence for him.

"Takahashi-kun and I had actually planned to have dinner together, Usami-san."

"Oh yes…that's right," Usagi-san replied, looking thoughtful. "Hmm…okay, go have dinner."

He smiled, looking way too innocent for Misaki's liking.

_He _never _just lets me go like that…_

"On one condition, though."

_I knew it!_

Usagi-san bowed down, so that his face was on the same level as Misaki's.

"I want a kiss."

"You…What?! Baka! We're in the middle of the street!" Misaki spluttered, immediately turning bright red.

"There's no one around."

"E-even so…"

There was still Todou. Misaki wasn't sure what his friend was thinking. He'd seemed okay with it earlier, but…

_He didn't actually _know_ that I'm…that I like guys…well, that I like Usagi-san, that is…Who's not only a man, but also ten years older…_

"Well, what's is going to be, Misaki?"

"We're in public, baka! Besides, I don't even have to choose; it's none of your business if I-"

He was cut off by a warm pair of lips pressed against his own. And as usual, he could do nothing but give into it, the taste and the feeling and the scent that were all Usagi-san…

…That was, until Usagi-san tried to sneak his tongue into his mouth and Misaki realized they were still being watched.

He quickly pushed the novelist away, blushing so hard that it felt like his head was going to explode any minute now.

Usagi-san merely chuckled upon seeing the look on his face.

"Have a nice dinner, Misaki. I'll see you later."

And with those words, he stepped into his car and drove away, leaving a flustered Misaki to stare after him.

Suddenly, he heard a soft snicker behind him. He turned around to find Todou trying to supress his laughter, but failing miserably.

"I-I'm sorry, Takahashi-kun," his friend snorted, whipping some tears from his eyes, "but your face was absolutely brilliant just now!"

Misaki stared at him for a moment.

_He…he really…?_

"Todou-kun…" he started hesitantly, "you don't…you don't mind?"

"What?" Todou blinked in surprise, his laughter gone now. "No, of course not…Like I told you, it actually seems kind of fitting."

He paused for a moment, thinking, then added: "Actually, I can't believe I've never noticed it before…You talk about him all of the time, after all."

Misaki's eyes widened and he felt the blush return to his cheeks.

"I- I don't do that!"

Slowly, a grin crept onto Todou's face.

"Uh-huh. Sure."

"I do not!"

"You so do."

"No way!"

"You're blushing."

Misaki snapped his mouth shut. There was nothing he could say to _that_.

Todou laughed again and slung an arm around his shoulder, pulling him a little closer.

"Seriously, it's fine. You two look great together."

He gave Misaki a bright smile.

"Now let's get something to eat, shall we? I've made reservations, so we'll be sure to have some good food tonight."

A warm feeling started to spread through Misaki's chest. It was wonderful to have a friend like Todou.

"…Thanks, Todou-kun."

The other boy smiled at him again, and he got the feeling that Todou knew that Misaki wasn't only thanking him for the reservations.

"You're welcome, Takahashi-kun."

* * *

><p>"I'm home!"<p>

Hiroki let out a sigh when he dropped his bag to the ground. It had been quite an eventful afternoon, and he suddenly felt really tired. Plus he was still trying to figure out what had been up with Akihiko. Just storming off like that, without even giving a decent explanation – there had to be something serious going on.

_What has that Takahashi kid gotten himself into?_

Hiroki didn't have the chance to think about it for very long, though, because at that moment Nowaki came barging into the hallway.

"Welcome home, Hiro-san!

His lover beamed at him, eyes shining and a huge grin plastered on his face.

_Like a puppy that's greeting its owner._

Hiroki snorted at the thought, but it also made him wonder. His lover was always enthusiastic to see him, sure, but wasn't this a bit too much?

The feeling of a soft pair of lips against his own snapped him out of his thoughts.

"B-baka! I haven't even taken my shoes off yet!"

Nowaki's grin only grew wider.

"Sorry, Hiro-san."

"Yeah, yeah, it's okay," Hiroki grumbled, pushing his shoes off before starting to work on the buttons of his coat. He shot a quick look at Nowaki, who was still looking really excited for some unknown reason. Hiroki narrowed his eyes.

_It's a bit suspicious…_

"Oh! I think dinner will be ready by now, I'll go set the table."

As soon as he'd come in, Nowaki was out of the hallway again, leaving Hiroki to stare after him in surprise. Something was definitely off…

_He's not…he's not going to propose or something, is he?_

Hiroki stopped dead when the thought entered his head, before mentally slapping himself.

_What kind of ridiculous idea is that?! You're both _men_! You can't even marry! Besides, why would you want to? Everything's fine as it is now, isn't it?_

If he was being honest with himself, though, the idea had been going around his head once…okay, maybe twice. It seemed like the conversation he'd had with Nowaki yesterday had stirred up those thoughts again, albeit unconsciously. But there were too many objections to it, he argued with himself. Plus there was another little detail…one of them would actually have to take the step and ask the other.

_And there's no way in hell that I'm going to propose to Nowaki._

The mere thought set his face on fire. Hiroki took a few deep breaths, trying to snap out of it, before walking into the living room.

He'd half expected to see some…Well, roses or decorations or cake or something. But everything seemed normal, except for his lover, who was still looking just a bit too excited.

"Dinner's ready, Hiro-san!"

They sat down at the table, and to Hiroki's surprise, Nowaki was silent the moment they started eating. He frowned, trying not to stare too obviously at the other man as he attempted to figure out what was going on in his head. Even though Nowaki looked as relaxed as ever, Hiroki still had a feeling that there was something bothering him, or that there was at least something he wanted to talk about.

_Maybe I should just ask him…?_

He cleared his throat a little, which made his lover look up.

"Is…Is something bothering you?"

Nowaki blinked, looking surprised.

"No, nothing's wrong…" he paused for a moment, then asked: "Did you have a good time with Usami-san?"

Hiroki frowned again.

_Is that what he was worried about, or is he just trying to change the subject?_

"You…you're not still worried about that, are you?"

He couldn't help but sound a bit indignant. He hadn't poured his heart out and said all that embarrassing crap for nothing, after all.

_That's right, you'd better not be jealous of Akihiko anymore…_

"No, no!" Nowaki raised his hands in defence. "Well, maybe a little," he added after Hiroki shot him a look. "But every time I think something like that, I just remember what you told me."

The moment he got what Nowaki was talking about, Hiroki's face immediately turned beet red.

"Don't tell me you can quote that as well," he grumbled, trying not to let his uneasiness show.

Nowaki, of course, saw right through him. His eyes started to sparkle mischievously and he grinned broadly.

"Of course I can, Hiro-san! Let's see, what was it again…" he paused, pretending he was thinking about it. "Oh yes! _'I love you, Nowaki. And I'll never love anyone else again.'_"

Suddenly, Hiroki was very busy with looking anywhere but at Nowaki. Seriously, why did this guy have such a good memory?

_Please let the ground just open up and swallow me._

"B-baka! Stop spouting embarrassing crap!" he spluttered, not bothering trying to hide his discomfort this time.

"But you asked, Hiro-san," Nowaki smiled innocently.

"That's- Stop being so cocky with me, brat!"

Nowaki ignored his comment and continued.

"Besides, I haven't even reached the best part yet!"

_The best part?!_

Hiroki frantically searched through his brain, trying to remember what exactly he'd said that was 'better', in other words _even_ _more _embarrassing, than the lines his lover had just repeated.

Nowaki looked him directly in the eyes before dropping the bomb.

"You told me you were nothing without me, Hiro-san."

Hiroki's eyes widened.

_Oh. _That.

"Oh, ehm, yeah, that's…" he spluttered, quickly averting his eyes and trying very hard not to turn even redder. "I-"

Nowaki let out a soft chuckle and reached out over the table to grab his hand.

"It's okay, Hiro-san. I'm sorry for making you feel embarrassed."

Hiroki's head shot up.

"Who's says I'm-"

Nowaki laughed again and gave his hand a little squeeze. Instead of letting go after that, though, he turned Hiroki's hand around and intertwined their fingers.

"Erm…Nowaki?" Hiroki mumbled.

"Yes?"

"We're having dinner, you know."

"I'm aware."

Hiroki lifted his head, looking directly into Nowaki's eyes. He opened his mouth to tell him that this was hardly appropriate while they were eating, but then he took a good look at his lover and closed it again.

Nowaki's eyes were warm and honest and filled with so much love that Hiroki could almost feel it, as it were palpable. Once more, the blood flooded to his cheeks, but he also had to admit that it felt good – wonderful even – to know that Nowaki cared so much about him.

"I-"

Hiroki's eyes widened as he realized what he'd been about to say.

_I love you._

Never, ever, had he felt the urge to say that to Nowaki in broad daylight. It was embarrassing enough during the night, in the dark, isolated world of their room, when they been kissing and touching and…doing other things. No way had it ever even occurred to him to just say it out of the blue.

Until now, that was.

"Hiro-san? Are you okay?"

The worried look on his lover's face and the sincere concern in his voice only strengthened the urge to just blurt out the words.

"Y-yes, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You look like you've just seen a ghost or something."

Hiroki bit back a chuckle. If only Nowaki knew what he'd been thinking about…

"I-"he started again, but when he looked at his lover's expectant face, he found he just couldn't say it. Not now. Maybe, just maybe, he would be able to casually deliver the line in the future – but right now, he'd settle for a change of topic.

"I've…been thinking about what you asked. About my parents."

It wasn't a lie. He had already given it some thought, and since Akihiko had brought it up, he couldn't get it out of his head anymore. And he'd been thinking about something else even more, the question that had led to the topic of his parents.

'_Are you okay with it? Being gay, I mean.'_

He wished he would have been able to just tell Akihiko 'of course I am!', but found he couldn't. It wasn't that he was _ashamed _of it, per se, more that he was…scared. Same-sex relationships weren't exactly generally approved of, and Hiroki just didn't know if he was ready to face all of the prejudices that people would undoubtedly have.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by his lover, who was now using his thumb to rub slow circles on the back of Hiroki's hand, almost encouragingly. He smiled softly at Hiroki when he caught his gaze.

'_There's nothing wrong with it, you know.'_

He knew that. How could even begin to think that when Nowaki was sitting here before him, looking at Hiroki with that expression he only ever showed him?

_Maybe you're right, Akihiko,_ he mused. _Maybe I should just get over with it and tell them…_

If not for himself, then for Nowaki.

"And… have you-have you decided yet?"

His lover's voice interrupted his train of thoughts. He sounded and looked so hopeful, and in that moment, it suddenly hit Hiroki.

_Oh. _This_ is what Nowaki has been wanting to ask me, isn't it?_

Then he realized something else. Even if he wanted to, he would never be able to say no. Not with those puppy eyes looking at him, not when he knew how much this meant to Nowaki. So he said the only thing he could say.

"Yes-Yes, I have."

His lover's face lit up even more, but there were also some traces of anxiousness.

Hiroki took a deep breath before giving his answer.

"I-We'll make an appointment with them."

Nowaki's expression was one of utter bliss.

"Hiro-san! Thank you so much!"

Before he knew it, Nowaki had launched himself at Hiroki and was hugging him over the table, tangling his hands in Hiroki's hair, pulling him closer.

"Oi, what are you-"

"Thank you, Hiro-san," Nowaki whispered in his ear. "Thank you."

"…Yes, yes, it's okay," he mumbled, flushing once more.

Nowaki's hands moved from his hair to his face, cupping it and gently caressing Hiroki's cheeks. Then he leaned in and placed a sweet kiss on his lips. Hiroki could feel him smiling into the kiss, which made his heart flutter a little.

_It feels so wonderful to make him happy…_

Nowaki pulled him even closer, tracing a finger down his jawline and softly sucking on his bottom lip.

"No-Nowaki," Hiroki gasped. "We're-"

His lover smiled again.

"I don't really feel like eating food anymore, Hiro-san…not when there's something better right in front of me," he whispered.

"B-baka! What's with the cheesy lines all of a sudden?!"

Nowaki started nibbling on his earlobe.

"It's the truth, Hiro-san."

"Th-then let's at least move somewhere more comfortable."

Nowaki shot him a grin, looking like a little kid who'd just gotten a present.

"Yes, Hiro-san!"

Hiroki was caught completely by surprise when Nowaki walked around the table, closing the distance between them with a few long steps, leaned down, scooped him up in his arms, and started heading towards the bedroom.

"Hey-Stop-I didn't mean-!"

Nowaki smiled down at him and ruffled his hair.

"You look cute like this, Hiro-san."

Then his eyes widened and he hastily added: "Ah-not that you normally don't look cute!"

"For the hundredth time, I'm a grown man," Hiroki grumbled, trying to look as threatening as he could in his current position. "I can't possibly be cute, you baka!"

His lover leaned down and pecked his lips.

"You are cute, though, _Hiro-san_."

The whispered pet-name sent a chill down Hiroki's spine.

_Just hurry up and get us to the bedroom, baka._

Thankfully, he didn't have to say it out loud to make it happen. Within seconds, Nowaki had opened the door and gently laid him down on the bed, swinging one long leg over Hiroki to straddle him.

They stared at each other for a moment. Hiroki took in his lover's face: his beautiful, always sparkling eyes, his dark hair that Hiroki loved to run his fingers through, although he would never admit it, his skin, smooth and warm and somehow comforting, and of course his lips, which were now only inches from his own…

Without any warning, Nowaki leaned forward and kissed him. After a short hesitation, Hiroki decided to let go of all of his embarrassment for once – just this once – and kissed him back, wrapping his arms around his lover to pull him closer.

Nowaki's eyes widened in surprise, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he just attacked Hiroki's mouth again, and soon the kiss turned heated, hungry, mouths crashing into each other and tongues fighting for dominance.

They were both breathing heavily by the time they broke apart. Nowaki flashed him a smile.

"You're…different tonight, Hiro-san."

"Tsk. I didn't hear you complaining, brat," Hiroki scowled, but couldn't help but flush.

Nowaki lifted a hand to stroke one of his now burning cheeks, softly trailing his fingers down the skin, and Hiroki found himself leaning into the touch, contently closing his eyes.

He opened them again when he heard a soft chuckle. Nowaki was grinning at him, eyes sparkling.

"Well, since it's rare for Hiro-san to act like this, I'd better take advantage of it."

Hiroki's eyes widened.

"Oi, what are you-"

Before he knew it, Nowaki was on top of him again, kissing him roughly, exploring every inch of his mouth with his tongue. Warm hands travelled down Hiroki's neck, to his shirt, where his lover started working on the buttons. He undid them slowly, one by one, fingers grazing his skin ever so slightly, and Hiroki couldn't prevent another shiver from running down his spine.

"No-Nowaki…"

His lover had reached the last of the buttons and slid one arm around Hiroki's waist to lift him up a little. He got rid of the shirt quickly, carelessly dropping it on the ground, before moving his mouth to Hiroki's jaw. From there, he started to slowly move downwards, softly kissing and nipping the skin.

When his lover started swirling his tongue around one of his nipples, Hiroki tangled his fingers in Nowaki's hair, pulling it and letting out a small groan.

"Ah-Nowaki…"

His other nipple was given the same treatment. After Nowaki had given it a last, soft bite, Hiroki expected him to travel even lower. But instead, the man slid his hands under Hiroki's back, slowly caressing the bare skin, while his mouth placed soft kisses all over his chest.

Hiroki lay perfectly still, barely daring to breath. For some reason, he was afraid to. Nowaki was touching him so gently, holding him like he was something precious, and it felt like they were inside of their own private world, their own dreamlike bubble. It was wonderful, and Hiroki didn't want to break the spell.

"Hiro-san…"

Nowaki looked up at him, their eyes meeting each other, and regardless of the blush he just _knew_ was becoming visible on his cheeks, Hiroki held his lover's gaze.

"You're so beautiful, Hiro-san…You have no idea."

_Tsk. There he goes again with the cheesy lines._

That didn't take away the fact that his heart had just skipped a beat, though.

Nowaki was still looking at him, a small, content smile on his face, his eyes shining. Hiroki felt like he could stay like this forever, just looking at his lover.

_You're wrong, Nowaki. The one who's truly beautiful is you._

"…You're not so bad yourself, I suppose," he mumbled, averting his gaze to hide his blazing cheeks.

From the corners of his eyes, he could see Nowaki's smile transforming into a broad grin. Then his lover reached out to him, wrapping his long arms around him and pulling him into a soft embrace.

"Thank you, Hiro-san," he breathed in his ear. Then he added: "I love you, Hiro-san."

Hiroki's first instinct was to make some comment about Nowaki being an idiot, but he restrained himself and made an affirmative sound instead. Then, after a moment of hesitation, he turned around to face Nowaki and, to his lover's utmost surprise, pressed a soft kiss against his lips.

_No, Nowaki. Thank _you_._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Gosh, I love Egoist. I realized that I hadn't written a making out session like this one for them yet (at least, not that I remember xD). Plus I figured some fluff would be nice after all of the drama ^^ Also, I've realized I've used less different point of views lately. I plan on switching them more often again in the future, but for now it just worked…So I hope you don't mind :)**

**My apologies – I apologize too often, don't I? Well, anyway, I'm sorry that Terrorist still wasn't back. I really love them (I love all of the couples :D) and I've got plans for them, but this turned out longer than expected and the only thing I could have done was to make the chapter longer than usual, but that would have meant a later update. **

**One more thing: some of you will probably be disappointed with Misaki's reaction, but I really couldn't see him hitting Ijuuin. I think he'd only hit someone if they did something really bad to someone he loves, like Usagi-san or his brother. Not everything is said and done yet between Misaki and Ijuuin, though…(no, I'm not letting him attack Misaki again, don't worry. I wouldn't do that to you ;D)**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know what you think! :D**

**Next chapter: Todou's and Misaki's dinner, as well as some more drama…for another couple this time. And if I've got enough page space left, there might also be some Romantica fluff…;D**

**(Please note that this is a conditional preview (is that the correct term?), since – as I'm sure I've mentioned before – this story has a mind of its own ^^)**


	15. Interrogations and idiots

**A/N: Hello again! :D Well, I've got good news and I've got bad news. The bad news is that the Romantica fluff didn't make the chapter because my scenes - surprise, surprise – turned out way longer than I expected. And that brings us to the good news: this chapter is the longest one yet: 17 pages in Word! :O I honestly don't know how this happened, but I hope you'll enjoy it and that it doesn't feel like I dragged it on or something. The Romantica fluff will, of course, be included in the next chapter :)**

**There were some people who came up with the idea of letting Todou get together with Ijuuin. I really love the idea, and it's been stuck in my head for quite a long time, but in the end I decided not to do it. I mean, I feel bad for Ijuuin, and I think they would make a nice couple (plus it'd be funny to let Todou fall for a guy ^^) but I also think it's important for Misaki to have a straight friend who accepts his relationship with Akihiko. In the end, the last option won. I hope everyone's okay with that and I'm sorry if there were people looking forward to it. I could always write a one-shot or story, though, if people are interested. Which brings me to BlackAndWhiteRoseWolf, who gave me that idea and who helped me to finally make a decision (even though we both suck at making decisions xD) Thank you so much! :D **

**While writing, I suddenly realized I made a few stupid mistakes…Ijuuin called Akihiko, but how did he have his number? The same counts for Akihiko, who texted Miyagi to go out for drinks…Whoops ^^ Well, let's just assume they have their ways…(they are quite influential, after all) xD Or just think they gave them to each other on some occasion…whatever you like ;D**

**As always, thank you all so very much for your support! It really means a lot. Every follow, favorite and/or review is highly appreciated :D **

**So, time to reply to the remaining reviews!**

**Guest: Thank you so much, I'm really happy to hear that! :D I was hoping it would live up to people's expectations. And yup, there will definitely be teasing! ;D **

**Guest (there are two guests? Now I'm confused xD): Thank you so much, I'm glad you liked it! I feel bad for Ijuuin as well, but he'll be okay :) Like I said above, I absolutely love that idea, but decided not to use it in the end. Thanks for thinking about the story though, ideas are always appreciated! :D And never apologize for a long review, my friend! ^^**

**Visitor: Thank you so much! *blushes* I'm really glad you seem to enjoy the story. And I'm looking forward to writing that scene as well! They'll first have to call his parents, though…;D **

**I hope you'll enjoy this chapter, and please let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Junjou Romantica.**

* * *

><p>The restaurant Todou had picked looked very promising. It was relatively small, with a nice, light interior, and the moment they stepped inside, they were welcomed by a smiling waiter. After Todou had told him his name, the man led them to their table, which was really nice as well: situated next to the window, it was quite private, but not so far away from the other tables to make them look like a couple on a date.<p>

"Would you like something to drink?"

They both ordered a coke. After the waiter had smiled once more at them and left, Todou leaned back in his chair with a content sigh.

"I'm glad we went to this place after all, it's really nice."

Misaki nodded in agreement and smiled at his friend.

"Yes, it sure is. Thanks, Todou-kun!"

The other boy grinned back at him.

"You don't have to thank me, you know. I'm glad you wanted to come."

He paused, thinking, and then his smile grew even wider.

"…Although," he continued, eyes shining mischievously, "we're not both here as single guys, after all."

Misaki couldn't help but cringe a little. He still felt bad about lying to Todou about that, but when his friend had asked him about his 'girlfriend', he couldn't just have told him 'Well, actually I have a boyfriend', right?

…_well, I suppose I _could_ have…_

"I-I'm sorry," he mumbled, eyes focused on the table in front of him. When Todou stayed silent, he looked back up again, to find his friend staring at him with a light frown on his face.

"What are you sorry for, Takahashi-kun?"

Misaki blinked in surprise.

_He doesn't realize it?_

"W-well, I…lied to you. About being single, I mean."

Understanding dawned on Todou's features, and his frown was quickly replaced by a soft smile.

"That's okay, Takahashi-kun…Well, I have to admit I'm a little hurt that you didn't feel like you could tell me…But on the other hand, I understand why you'd be scared to."

He paused when the waiter approached their table with their drinks and the menu. When the man had left again, Todou took a sip from his coke and added: "Plus you didn't actually lie to me. You just told me you didn't have a girlfriend, right? And Usami-san's obviously not a girl, so…"

Misaki almost choked on his drink.

_How can he just say it like that?!_

Misaki definitely couldn't be that casual about it, not now at least. Sometimes he even wondered if he'd ever get completely used to it.

"Th-that's-" he spluttered, cheeks turning red.

Todou laughed and reached out over the table to ruffle Misaki's hair.

"Hey, it's okay. I told you that already, didn't I? And I'll also forgive you for not telling me earlier…"

Misaki eyed his friend suspiciously when he trailed off. He had the feeling that whatever Todou was going to say next, he wasn't going to like it. His friend was wearing the same kind of expression Usagi-san always had on his face before saying something extremely embarrassing to Misaki.

"…on one condition, though."

_I knew it!_

Todou grinned at him, eyes sparkling.

"You have to tell me _everything_."

Misaki really choked on his drink this time.

"E-everything?!" he managed to get out between coughs. Immediately, memories started overflowing his brain: Usagi-san's face close to his own, violet eyes meeting green ones, noses touching; Usagi-san whispering sweet words to him, breathing in his ear; Usagi-san's cold hands, cupping his face, tangling themselves in his hair, slipping under his shirt, travelling lower and lower; Usagi-san kissing him, slow and sweet and then rough and hungrily, moving down his jaw and sucking on his neck; Usagi-san and he lying together, bodies intertwined, tangled in the sheets, both sweaty and breathing heavily…

A chuckle from the other side of the table shook him out of his thoughts.

"You okay, Takahashi-kun? You're really red."

Misaki's hand flew up to his face, which had become very hot indeed. The teasing grin Todou shot him made it even worse.

_He's doing this on purpose, isn't he?_

Misaki groaned a little.

"Why does everyone around me enjoy making me feel embarrassed?" he mumbled, more to himself than to Todou, but his friend caught the words anyway.

"Well, you _are_ pretty fun to tease, Takahashi-kun," Todou grinned. Then his face took on a more serious expression.

"I'd really like to know, though, if you don't mind telling me."

Misaki hesitated for a moment. It would be very embarrassing to talk about it, without a doubt. But…

_I've been keeping it from him for such a long time…He kind of deserves to know, doesn't he?_

"W-what do you want to know?"

Todou's eyes lit up and he gave him a broad smile.

"Well, how did you two meet? I mean, he knew your brother, right…?"

Misaki nodded.

"And if I remember correctly, you are staying with Usami-san because your brother got a job in another town."

He nodded again and said: "Yes, plus Nii-chan got married…I didn't want to be in the way."

"I see...So you started living with Usami-san and somewhere along the way, you fell in love with each other?"

Memories of his first meeting with Usagi-san came crashing back to him, leaving Misaki with a beet-red face.

"Eh…Well, n-no…Not exactly…"

_Crap! I can never tell him what happened!_

Todou looked at him expectantly.

"I-" he started, then swallowed. God, this was really hard to explain. For one, it was super embarrassing, plus this was hardly the place to tell such things. And then there was another thing holding him back.

_It would make Usagi-san look really bad if I told Todou about that…_

Sure, Misaki knew that Usagi-san's actions back then _hadn't_ been right, not at all, but on the other hand, he couldn't completely blame the man.

_I said some really harsh things to him, after all…_

No, he didn't want Todou to think bad about Usagi-san. He'd leave that part out of the story, at least for now.

"Well, I wasn't doing very well at school…So Nii-chan asked Usagi-san to tutor me…"

Todou's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wait, don't tell me…You've been together for…nearly four years now?!"

Misaki looked away a little, face flushing again.

"Eh…yeah…"

When he dared to look up at his friend again, Todou was shaking his head in disbelief. Then, before Misaki could progress what was going on, Todou was leaning towards him over the table and hit him on the head.

"You baka! Almost four years, and you still didn't tell me? I'd figured it was something recent…Or at least not _four years_!"

Misaki ducked his head a little.

"I-I'm sorry…"

When his friend stayed silent, he looked back up again, only to find Todou staring back at him. He was trying to hide his laughter, but it didn't work very well.

"I'm just kidding, Takahashi-kun," he snorted. "You shouldn't take everything so seriously, you know."

Relieved, Misaki smiled at his friend.

"I suppose so…"

"But…wow…four years…" Todou continued, face serious again. "That's really amazing. I've never been with someone for that long…I think the record was nine months, and that was exceptional."

He smiled at Misaki.

"Congratulations, Takahashi-kun."

Todou paused, then added with a wink: "And such a handsome, rich man as well…You've _got _to tell me how you did that!"

Misaki's cheeks turned pink again, but he still managed to raise his eyebrows at his friend.

_Handsome, rich _man_…?_

It took Todou a few seconds to realize the full meaning of his words, but when he did, it was his turn to blush.

"Ah-no, I didn't mean-I'd never-"

He cut himself off again, eyes wide, hands raised as if in defense.

"No, wait, that's not what I meant either…I-I mean, there's nothing wrong with it, of course, it's just…not me, I suppose, I just meant that maybe you could find me a girl like that, not-"

Misaki couldn't help but laugh at the panicked expression on Todou's face.

"It's okay, Todou-kun, I get it," he smiled, interrupting his friend's rambling.

Todou shut his mouth and looked away, face still burning. Then he rubbed the back of his neck and laughed a bit sheepishly.

"I-I'm sorry…I'm a bit overreacting, aren't I?"

"That's okay, Todou-kun," Misaki said again, smiling. They looked at each other and shared a grin.

The waiter took that moment to come up to their table again and ask if they'd already been able to make a choice. Both guys reddened a bit when they realized they had been too busy talking to actually look at the menu. Todou was the first to recover and quickly picked a plate. Misaki decided to go for the same, and after waving away their apologies with a smile, the waiter left again.

"Look at us, we're acting like a bunch of high school girls," Todou laughed. "Although I have to admit it was my fault for interrogating you like that…"

He winked at Misaki, who smiled back. They sat in comfortable silence for a little while, until Todou spoke up again.

"Oh, yeah, before I forget to ask: how many people know about you relationship?"

Misaki couldn't help but cringe a little.

_That reminds me, I've still got to tell Nii-chan…_

Todou apparently noticed his discomfort, because he continued hastily.

"I'm really sorry to bring it up. It's really none of my business, but I was just wondering when I could talk about it and when I should keep my mouth shut. I wouldn't want to accidentally tell someone who isn't supposed to know, so…"

Misaki looked up in surprise.

_He's so considerate…_

"Y-yes, I…you're right. Thanks, Todou-kun."

He thought about it for a moment. There were quite some people who knew now, but Todou didn't know most of them.

"Eh…Well, Usagi-san's father and brother know…and some other family members…I think his editor knows, too…And the head of his publishing company, who's an old friend of his brother…Uh…I-Ijuuin-sensei, obviously," he blushed when he thought about this afternoon's events and carefully avoided Todou's eyes, "…and another friend of mine knows as well, he more or less figured it out himself…"

Upon seeing Todou's questioning look, Misaki explained: "I don't think you know him. He was my senpai and he graduated before I met you…His name is Sumi Keiichi."

Todou shook his head to indicate that he indeed didn't know him, and Misaki continued.

"Well, uh…there are some people who I met not too long ago, and they know as well…One of them is a childhood friend of Usagi-san…Oh, and there's Takatsuki-kun, the guy you met yesterday."

An emotion Misaki couldn't quite place flashed across Todou's face, before his friend took on his usual happy expression again.

"That's quite a lot of people…More than I expected, to be honest."

Misaki nodded, frowning a little. Something was definitely off, if only he knew what…

Then it suddenly hit him.

_Oh! He's…he's hurt because he thinks I told Takatsuki-kun before I told him? But that's not…Well, it's true that he _knew_ earlier, but I didn't exactly _tell_ him…_

"Ah, uh…Todou-kun?"

His friend looked up questioningly.

"I-I didn't tell Takatsuki-kun, you know. He just figured it out himself."

Todou looked relieved at first, but then his expression turned darker again.

"I'm glad to hear that, but…"

He trailed off, looking uncertain. Misaki smiled at him, silently urging him to continue.

"I-What kind of friend am I when I can't figure it out, while someone who's only known you for a few days can?!"

Misaki's eyes widened.

_I had no idea he'd feel like that…_

He couldn't help but feel a bit honored that Todou apparently cared so much about their friendship. Still, there was no reason for his friend to worry about it.

"N-no, it's not like that!" he quickly spoke up. "Takatsuki-kun only noticed because he-"

_Crap._

They hadn't exactly talked about it, but Misaki felt like there was a silent agreement between them: Takatsuki wouldn't tell anyone about Misaki's relationship with Usagi-san, and Misaki kept his mouth shut about his friend and Miyagi-san.

He didn't like the idea of breaking that silent promise. But…

Misaki looked at Todou, who stared back, waiting for an answer. He couldn't just leave Todou hanging, and he certainly didn't want to lie to him again. It wouldn't be a big deal to Todou anyway, seeing how he'd reacted earlier today. Plus he didn't even know Miyagi-san.

_I'm sorry, Takatsuki-kun. Please forgive me._

"Takatsuki-kun is…he's in a relationship with…with another m-man as well," Misaki explained, speaking as silently as possible and taking a quick look around to make sure that nobody was listening. He silently thanked the staff of the restaurant for giving them such a private place.

Todou's eyes widened in surprise, then he nodded in understanding.

"I see…So, wait… _that's_ what you meant when you talked about having something in common with him!"

Todou grinned broadly, looking like he'd just won the lottery, and Misaki could feel his face heating up again.

_Damn Todou and his never-failing memory…_

"T-That's…uh…yeah," he mumbled awkwardly.

Then he suddenly realized something.

"I…uh…we had a talk like this as well…about which people knew, I mean, and we talked about you, because Takatsuki-kun had realized that I hadn't told you yet…" He lifted his gaze to meet Todou's and hastily added: "I had planned to tell you, honestly! It's just that I was…afraid to, but I really was going to do it anyway…but then the whole thing with Ijuuin-sensei happened and…well…"

Todou gave him an encouraging smile.

"That's okay, Takahashi-kun, I understand."

Misaki returned the smile, feeling relieved that his friend didn't seem to be upset about it at all.

"Anyway, what I was going to ask: do you mind if I sent him a quick text? I know he's also struggling with the same problems, and I… I figured knowing that you don't mind could be helpful to him, maybe."

Todou was smiling even broader now and reached out over the table to ruffle his hair again.

"You're such a great guy, Takahashi-kun! And of course you can text him, you don't need to ask."

Misaki smiled a bit shyly and made a move to take his phone out of his pocket, but realized it wasn't there. Almost automatically, he bowed down to take his bag from the ground…and found that he didn't have that with him either. His eyes widened when he realized where his belongings where.

_Crap, crap, crap…!_

"Uh…Todou-kun? I'm afraid I left my bag and phone at Ijuuin-sensei's…"

* * *

><p>Miyagi was dead tired by the time he arrived at Shinobu and his apartment. Work had been exhausting today, and then he'd gone out for drinks with Usami and Kamijou, which should have been relaxing, but had left him worrying about Takahashi instead. The boy seemed a bit dense when it came to certain things, so who knew what kind of trouble he'd gotten himself into? Plus Usami – cool and composed Usami-sensei – had clearly been in a state of panic, storming off with just a few words and not even a greeting, so it had to be something serious.<p>

Not knowing what else to do, and not being able to follow him since they didn't know where he'd gone off to, Kamijou and Miyagi had left soon after the novelist. The afternoon was ruined anyway, plus Miyagi had known from the beginning that he wouldn't be able to stay very long, since he'd promised Shinobu that they would talk tonight.

_Shinobu…_

Miyagi had a feeling the boy wasn't going to be pleased with him not going home directly.

He braced himself before opening the door to their apartment, but still felt like he got a heart attack when he was immediately met with the sight of his lover. Shinobu was waiting for him in the hallway with his arms crossed, looking at him with the most furious look Miyagi had ever seen on him.

_Oh crap. Looks like I was right…_

"Sh-Shinobu-chin! What are you doing here?"

The boy narrowed his eyes, ignoring his question.

"Two hours!"

Miyagi blinked and gave him a questioning look.

"E-excuse me?"

"Two hours ago, your work shift ended. I expected you home about half an hour later, so I made sure everything was ready by then. And what do I get?"

Shinobu held out his phone, almost pushing it into Miyagi's face, so that he had some trouble seeing what was on the display. He could guess, though.

"'_I'm going out for some drinks, be back around 7,'_" Shinobu read out loud, before sending another glare in his direction.

"You stood me up and you didn't even have the decency to at least give me a call?!"

Miyagi cringed a little.

_Crap, I really messed up, didn't I? I knew it would have been better just to go home directly, but I had no idea he'd be _this_ upset…_

"Shinobu-chin…"

"Don't 'Shinobu-chin' me! Who did you go out with anyway? Let me guess, it was Kamijou-sensei again, wasn't it?"

For a moment, Miyagi thought about denying it, but he knew that would make things even worse. Before he had a chance to say anything, though, Shinobu had already read the answer in his eyes.

"I knew it!" he huffed. "Apparently, you care more about him than about me!"

Miyagi's eyes widened.

_So Kamijou was right…He _is _still thinking about that._

"What-Of course I don't! Would I be living here with you if I did?"

Shinobu just glared at him again and turned around, stomping off to the living room. Miyagi quickly pushed off his shoes and followed him, not even bothering to take his still slightly wet coat off.

"Shinobu-ch- Shinobu, please…"

He reached out to grab his lover's shoulder, but the boy shook his hand off.

"Don't touch me!"

"Shino-" Miyagi started, but then his gaze landed on the table. What he saw made him stop in his tracks.

The table was set, plates and glasses shining, a bottle of wine placed in the middle, and it was only now that he noticed the surprisingly nice aroma that was coming from the kitchen.

_It smells like he made the same plate as yesterday… Wait, does that mean that…he wanted to impress me again?_

The thought warmed his heart and made him feel incredibly guilty at the same time. Shinobu had prepared all of this for him…

…_And I, idiot that I am, just went out for drinks…_

Okay, so he couldn't have known that his lover had planned something like this. Still, he should have –

His train of thoughts was interrupted when he suddenly noticed something. Standing at Miyagi's side of the table, placed in a small vase, was a single red rose.

He'd never admit it, but his heart skipped a beat the moment he laid eyes on it.

_Shinobu…_

The guilty feeling increased, as well as the warmth, that was slowly beginning to fill his chest. He shot a look at his lover, who still had his back turned on him.

_What did I ever do to deserve someone as wonderful as you?_

"Shinobu, I-" he started, only to be interrupted by the younger man.

"Don't…Just don't."

Shinobu fell silent, then mumbled, as if it were an afterthought: "Geez, and I even made you a proper dinner this time...Bastard."

It was only then that Miyagi noticed the trembling in his voice, the way he slumped his shoulders, how he hadn't looked up since he'd left the hallway.

He took a hesitating step towards his lover, then told himself to man up and quickly closed the distance between them, this time really putting a hand on Shinobu's shoulder.

"Shinobu."

Finally, the boy looked up, a single tear running down his cheek.

_Shit, I've made him cry…I really am a bastard…_

Shinobu immediately averted his gaze again, flushing a little, and brought a hand to his face to whip the tear away. Miyagi instinctively reached out and grabbed his wrist in mid-air, holding it there, and, after a short hesitation, intertwining their fingers. He brought up his other hand as well, softly stroking Shinobu's face before curling his fingers around his chin and lifting his head a little. Then, slowly, almost cautiously, he brought his lips to his lover's face and placed a soft kiss on his wet cheek.

Shinobu still refused to look him in the eyes, but the blush that started to spread over his face was enough for Miyagi.

"Shinobu," he said again. "Let's sit down, shall we?"

His lover apparently didn't have any more energy to fight, because he simply nodded and let Miyagi lead him towards the couch. When they were seated, Miyagi put an arm around the boy, pulling him close, and started rubbing soothing circles on Shinobu's arm with his thumb.

They sat together in silence for a while, until Miyagi decided it was about time he apologized…or at least tried to.

"Shinobu…I'm sorry," he started, turning towards his lover and looking him directly in the eyes. "When Usami-san texted me to go out for drinks, I realized very well that I'd promised you to talk tonight…But I was tired from working, and since I'd said 'tonight' and it was still early, I figured it would be okay…"

That wasn't the whole reason, though, was it? He let out a sigh.

_I'm not being honest to him…scrap that, I'm not being honest to either of us._

Shinobu was looking at him intensely, and Miyagi felt like the boy could see right through him. He averted his eyes a little and awkwardly scratched the back of his head, before giving it another try.

"I-I guess I was…scared," he managed to get out.

_Well, at least I finally admitted it._

Without looking up to see Shinobu's reaction, he continued.

"I know it's difficult for you, but it's not exactly easy for me either…I'm the one who'd be held responsible if this ever got out…"

He paused, thinking about what he'd just said. It was true, sure, but…

_It's not the biggest issue here._

There were other, much worse possible consequences of their relationship, one thing especially. It was something he absolutely wanted to avoid, no matter what. He let out another sigh.

"…Sometimes I wonder if I'm making a huge mistake by doing this."

The moment the words had left his mouth, Miyagi cringed at his own mistake. Quickly, he checked Shinobu's face.

As he'd expected, fresh tears were already shining in his lover's eyes, his expression a mixture of astonishment and sheer horror. Miyagi's heart clenched painfully at the sight.

_God, I'm such an idiot!_

"No! Shinobu, I didn't mean it like that…."

He quickly grabbed the boys hands in his own, squeezing them softly in an effort to calm him down.

"Shinobu, please look at me. Listen," he said, while whipping away the tears that were already flowing down his lover's face.

"I _want_ to be with you, okay? I…"

He swallowed, suddenly nervous.

_Come on, you're a man in your thirties, not some teenage girl!_

"I…I love you, Shinobu."

Grey eyes were turned towards him, still red from crying, but now huge and filled with surprise.

"Mi-miyagi…"

"That's why I'm afraid. I mean, yes, I'm also scared of the wrong people finding out, and losing my job wouldn't be nice, to say the least, but the thing that scares me the most…"

He forced himself to look into his lover's eyes, who was staring at him even more intensely than earlier, as if he didn't want to miss even a single thing. There were tear stains on his face, his mouth was slightly opened and, as always, he was stunningly beautiful.

_I love him so much…another thing that scares me. God, I'm actually just a big coward, aren't I?_

"I'm…I'm afraid of hurting you, Shinobu."

Something changed in his lover's eyes the moment he spoke those words, a sudden look of understanding dawned on him, and then his expression changed into one so full of love and admiration that Miyagi could feel his cheeks heating up.

_I don't think anyone has ever looked at me like that before…_

"Baka," Shinobu huffed, but the new tears that where once again forming in his eyes and the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth betrayed him.

"You…you don't have to worry, you know. The only thing you could do to hurt me is…is leaving me…"

Shinobu smiled at Miyagi, face burning, but looking him directly in the eyes nonetheless. Miyagi's heart skipped a beat.

_How can anyone be so amazingly beautiful and lovable?_

"Shinobu-chin…" he whispered, before leaning forward and capturing his lover's lips; those beautiful, soft, pink lips that he loved so much. Shinobu responded eagerly, wrapping his arms around Miyagi's neck to pull him closer before kissing him back. Miyagi could barely supress a moan when he felt his lover's tongue licking his lips, asking for entrance, but he restrained himself. They still had a conversation to finish, after all…

…although he had to admit that it was very tempting to proceed with their current activity.

Shinobu let out a low growl of disappointment when Miyagi drew back. He chuckled at the pout that was sent his way and smiled at the younger man. Then he leaned towards him again and started leaving soft kisses all over Shinobu's face, trying to remove the remaining tears with his lips. During this, Shinobu sat completely still, the silence in the room only occasionally broken when the boy took a sharp intake of breath.

Miyagi had reached his lover's eyes and, after giving both of them a soft peck, he drew back again. Shinobu immediately reached out for him again, as if on instinct, and for the third time that evening, Miyagi's heart started doing weird things inside his chest.

_He's so cute…_

He leaned forward once more and reached out for his lover as well, tangling one hand in his hair and wrapping the other around him, pulling Shinobu against his chest. He let out a content sigh, but then he reminded himself that some things still had to be said.

"Shinobu…I'm really sorry. No matter what my reasons were, I should just have gone home right away. I'm sorry."

In response, Shinobu's grip on his coat tightened.

"…I'm sorry, too," the boy mumbled against his shoulder.

Miyagi blinked, surprised.

"What for?"

It was silent for a moment. Then Shinobu spoke up again.

"For saying those things…about Kamijou-san. I know it's not true, I just…I can't help but get jealous."

Miyagi couldn't see his lover's face, but he was sure his cheeks were burning right now.

Suddenly, Shinobu pulled back from the embrace a little, looking up at Miyagi with accusing eyes.

"It's partly your own fault, though: you keep hugging him and calling him by his first name all the time!"

Again, Miyagi realized that Kamijou had been right.

…_He's much more mindful of others' emotions than I've given him credit for…_

Just when Miyagi was about to open his mouth, Shinobu flushed and looked away.

"…Still, I shouldn't have overreacted like that…I know that nothing actually happened between you, so… I'm sorry."

Miyagi's heart felt like it completely stopped for a moment. Shinobu's words kept repeating themselves in his head.

'_I know that nothing actually happened between you.'_

Of all things to say…

Images from earlier that day came back to him. Kamijou, who, despite his casualness and clever remarks, had been stuttering and blushing for a moment when Miyagi had brought up their…What was he supposed to call it? 'Almost kiss'? 'Might-have-been-a-romantic-encouter-weren't-it-for-Kusama-kun-to-come-rushing-in-and-almost-strangle-me'?

He suddenly realized that the silence was becoming way too long, and that he really should say something soon. The problem was, he didn't know what.

_Should I tell him…? It happened before he confessed to me, so it's not really any of his business in that sense…But knowing Shinobu, he'd probably want to know about that kind of thing anyway – the incident with sensei's picture has proven that. I don't want to make him upset again, though…Plus nothing actually happened…But still…_

It still felt like he was being untruthful towards Shinobu, and Miyagi found he couldn't stand the feeling.

"Shinobu, I…" he started, looking up at his lover. What he saw made him stop in his tracks.

For the second time that evening, shock and hurt were clearly displayed on Shinobu's face. And again, instead of lashing out at him, the boy looked more…defeated. His shoulders were slumped and his gaze cast downwards, some strands of his blond hair falling in front of his eyes.

_Shit. He must have seen something on my face…And now he's probably thinking that I had a relationship with Kamijou or something and didn't tell him about it…_

Miyagi took a deep breath before gently lifting his lover's face again, forcing him to look into his eyes.

"Shinobu…"

He almost cringed when he got a good look at the betrayal in Shinobu's eyes, and the nasty feeling in his stomach only increased when his lover let out a low, humorless chuckle.

"Turns out I was right after all…You really care for that bastard."

_Yes, he's definitely thinking the wrong way. Ah crap, and we just made up…_

He had to fix this, quickly, before they would have another misunderstanding.

"Shinobu, I swear nothing happened between us, really!"

His lover shot him a disbelieving look.

"Yeah right, then what was with the long silence? Stop lying to me, Miyagi."

Miyagi really cringed now. Usually when Shinobu called him by his name instead of calling him 'old man', it was in a loving way, like when he'd just told the boy that he loved him. So if he was calling him 'Miyagi' now, that meant…

_Shit…He must be _really_ pissed off._

"I…" he started, then swallowed and tried again, "You're right, there was something…"

He didn't miss the flash of hurt that crossed Shinobu's eyes.

"…But nothing actually happened…"

He sighed when he saw his lover's confused look.

"I…I'll tell you, okay? But you've got to promise me that you'll listen to me until the end, no interruptions. I don't want you to get the wrong idea."

Shinobu was still eyeing him warily, but Miyagi thought he also saw some hope glistening in his eyes.

Slowly, the boy nodded.

"Alright, but you better have a good explanation for this."

After sighing once more and running a hand through his hair, Miyagi started.

"There…there was this time – a long time ago, before you came back to Japan – when Kamijou-sensei was upset because…well, I don't know the details, but from what I gather he'd had a fight or misunderstanding with Kusama-kun or something. Anyway, he came barging into our office late at night, dripping wet, and I teased him, asking if he had been dumped – I had no idea what had happened – and then he…"

Miyagi paused for a moment, remembering his astonishment when he'd noticed the tears gliding down Kamijou's face.

"He…started crying. And for some reason, I…"

He averted his gaze a little and swallowed once more before mumbling: "I wanted to kiss him."

For a moment, it was completely silent in the room. Then Shinobu spoke up.

"…You what?!" he almost shrieked, causing Miyagi to cringe once more.

_This is what I was afraid of…_

"You promised to let me finish, remember?" He hurriedly continued. "I _tried_ to ki – to do that, but then Kusama-kun suddenly came barging into the room and almost strangled me – so nothing actually happened, you see? Ha ha…" He trailed off lamely, awkwardly scratching the back of his head.

His words did nothing to reassure Shinobu, who looked close to crying again.

"Shinobu-chin…"

Miyagi reached out for him, but his lover backed away and stood up from the couch, turning his back to him.

_Why…I understand he doesn't like to hear this – I wouldn't like to hear about him wanting to kiss someone else either – but…it's a long time ago._

Then a thought struck him.

_Wait…But no, he can't seriously think…_

One look at his lover's stature confirmed his idea.

"Shinobu…"

He stood up as well, walking over to his young lover, and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close. Shinobu immediately tried to break out of the embrace, trying to wriggle his way out, but despite his older age, Miyagi found he was still stronger than the boy.

"Please listen to me, Shinobu," he whispered in his ear, which caused his lover to stop struggling for a moment. Miyagi took advantage of this to do something he'd never even considered doing before: he bent down, slid one arm behind Shinobu's legs and then lifted him up in one swift motion, bridal style.

"O-oi! What do you think you're doing, old man?!"

Miyagi couldn't help but smile a little.

_Well, at least we're back to 'old man'._

"I want you to hear the truth, without you trying to get away."

He studied his lover's face intently as he let the words sunk in, and breathed a sigh of relief when Shinobu seemed to calm down.

"…Okay then, tell me," he said, crossing his arms and frowning at Miyagi.

Miyagi noticed the hint of fear in his voice, and decided to get this over with quickly.

_We've already had way too many misunderstandings for one evening, after all._

"I'm not sure what had gotten into me, to be honest," he started. "I mean, I've always liked teasing Kamijou-sensei - " he ignored the look that Shinobu threw his way ,"and I suppose I've always cared for him as well…"

He felt Shinobu tense in his arms, and resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Not in that way! I've told you already, didn't I? I love you."

To his relief, he found that the words were becoming easier to say. Maybe, just maybe he was finally getting used to their relationship.

_And that look on his face isn't exactly discouraging either…_

"B-but then why…"

"It was before you came back, remember? Plus it was right after I'd divorced-" Shinobu cringed slightly at the subject of his sister being brought up, "so I was pretty lonely, I guess. I mean, I've never really been in love with your sister, but that didn't stop me from feeling that way just after we'd split up. And…"

He hesitated, then decided that being honest was the best thing to do.

"…I guess I found Kamijou-sensei slightly attractive."

Before Shinobu could make another face that he really didn't want to see on him, Miyagi hastily continued: "That doesn't mean that I was in love with him, though, nor that I have any feelings other than friendship for him right now."

Then, before he could stop himself, he added: "I mean, he's stubborn, just like you, but he's nowhere near as cute as my Shinobu-chin."

He couldn't believe that he'd just said that, and for a moment he wished for a hole in the ground to open up and swallow him. But then he looked at Shinobu's face, which was slowly turning bright red, his eyes widened in surprise, and he realized that he wouldn't take back the cheesy line even if he could.

"Mi-miyagi…"

Shinobu continued to stare at him for a moment, then his expression changed into his usual scowl.

"Fine, I'll forgive you…just this once, though," he huffed, turning his head away a little.

A sudden warmth filled Miyagi's chest and he could feel a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

_You're not very convincing when you're blushing and looking away like that, Shinobu-chin._

Still, he was incredibly relieved that his lover didn't seem mad, or worse, hurt anymore.

Then the boy suddenly sent a threatening glare Miyagi's way.

"That doesn't mean you can just flirt with him anytime you see him, though!"

Miyagi really had to laugh now, partly because of his relief, but also because it was just so typically Shinobu to react that way.

His lover didn't seem to find it funny, though, seeing how he narrowed his eyes at him.

"I'm being serious here!"

This only increased Miyagi's laughter, which made Shinobu grumble something incomprehensible and cross his arms again, a slight pout on his face.

Miyagi smiled at the sight.

_He looks totally adorable when he does that…_

"Come on, let's eat before it gets too cold. I can't wait to taste it; it smelled great when I came in."

Shinobu's face brightened instantly at the words, but he narrowed his eyes again when Miyagi teasingly added: "Besides, I really need to put you down now, otherwise I won't be able to walk tomorrow."

"…Are you trying to insinuate that I'm fat, old man?"

Miyagi made a quasi-innocent face.

"Of course not, I wouldn't dare."

"Good, 'cause otherwise I would just eat all of the food alone."

"…No wonder you're so heavy, with an attitude like that."

Shinobu reddened a little at his mistake.

"S-shut up! I bet it's just because you're getting old – old_er_ anyway!"

Miyagi laughed again and ruffled Shinobu's hair before carefully putting him down.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, no need to remind me."

He chuckled one last time, then leaned forward to peck his lover's lips. When he pulled back, Shinobu's cheeks were even more flushed than before. Still, he reached out and grabbed Miyagi's hand, intertwining their fingers, and started pulling him towards the table.

Miyagi's heart started fluttering like a school girl's when he laid eyes on the rose again. Suddenly, it was very tempting to just skip dinner and drag Shinobu to their bedroom.

_It'll be good for us to have a nice conversation, though. _

They still needed to talk about their relationship as well – maybe he'd bring that up later tonight. But for now, it would be best to just enjoy dinner and make some small talk. They'd had enough drama for one evening.

One more thing needed to be said, though.

"Shinobu-chin…"

His lover looked up questionably.

"Thank you. It looks great, and I really appreciate the effort."

Immediately, his lover turned bright red again.

"Y-you better appreciate it, after I spent so much time on it!" he huffed, turning around and disappearing into the kitchen, but not before Miyagi had caught the surprised and happy look in his eyes.

He smiled as he stared after his lover. They might be a weird couple, and there would definitely be some more obstacles in the future – okay, probably a lot more – but he was certain everything would turn out fine in the end.

_Yes, we're definitely going to make it._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: That must have been the longest part I've ever written in Miyagi's POV…I hope I did him justice. Next chapter will be the continuation of Misaki and Todou's dinner and of course the promised Romantica fluff will be there ;D**

**Thank you for reading, and as always, please let me know what you think!**


	16. Surprising resolutions and second first-

**A/N:…Yeah…I'm still alive, in case you were wondering. I'm truly sorry about this ridiculously late update. I've taken up an extra job for summer, so things were busier than I'd anticipated (I really like the job, though), plus I had…well, I wouldn't call it writers' block, more of a falling out with the story, I guess? It took me some time to get into it again. But I think I'm back now, I've already started writing the next chapter (more Romantica fluff ahead! xD), so that's a good sign :D And don't worry, I don't have any plans of leaving this story unfinished. (Oh, and this chapter is extra-long; I hope that makes up for the long wait a bit).**

**So, point two on the agenda. ^^ After having said last chapter that I wouldn't put Ijuuin and Todou in a relationship, I'm still unsure about it. For some reason, it seems I'm not able to get the idea out of my head. So I'm asking you for your help. I want to at least put some friendship between them in this fic, but could you please tell me what you think about a romantic relationship between them? It wouldn't happen until the end, since Ijuuin needs time to get over Misaki, and it would probably only be in the background. I don't have any plans for writing their POVs right now, unless someone can convince me otherwise ;P Still, it's an important decision to me, and all help/ideas/opinions/arguments for or against would be helpful. Thanks a lot in advance! And a special thank you to hinatagirl18, for helping me think about it. I appreciate it very much! :D**

**And thank you so so much to all of you too! I've now reached a 150 (151, actually) reviews and over a 100 follows…I'm so happy! *does happy dance* Arigatou! **

**Now, let's go to the reviews, before this A/N gets even longer xD**

**XxRin-sanxX: I'm not sure if I've already thanked you via a PM…but in any case, thank you! :D I'm really glad to hear that ^^**

**Visitor: You're welcome ^^ You're completely right, it's a pattern indeed xD I like it, even though it's a quite predictable (or probably because it is predictable ;D). There was one thing I didn't really get, though, and I hope you don't mind me asking: do you mean that you find the plot in this story more important than the kissing scenes, or do you mean that I don't really have any sex scenes and that that would be disappointing normally but that it's okay since you like the plot? (hope that didn't sound like I'm boasting or something, not my intention). Or something else entirely? I'm sorry, I'm not completely sure what you mean. Anything is fine, really, I'm just curious now :)**

**Ha ha, the 'divine intervention' thing really made me laugh xD I'm glad you liked the Hiro/Miyagi thing coming up, I'd almost forgotten about it, but then it came up in a PM conversation I was having with XxRin-sanxX. :) And yeah, I like their relationship as well ^^**

**Thank you so very much for another wonderful, long review. I'm already looking forward to the next one! :D**

**I really hope I didn't miss anyone, I've often got this really illogical order of answering reviews...But thanks a lot to all of you! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Junjou Romantica.**

**(Full chapter title: Surprising resolutions and second first kisses)**

* * *

><p>"<em>Uh…Todou-kun? I'm afraid I left my bag and phone at Ijuuin-sensei's…"<em>

Misaki silently cursed at himself. How could he have been so stupid? Okay, so he might have been a little distracted, what with being kissed by Ijuuin in front of his friend and Usagi-san suddenly showing up…

Not to mention his own love confession.

His cheeks burned at the memory, and he quickly forced himself to think of something else. Unfortunately, that brought him back to the fact that he'd have to go to Ijuuin's apartment again, which made an uneasy feeling settle in his stomach. Every time he visited the mangaka, something bad seemed to happen, and Misaki didn't want to think about what it could be this time.

_Luckily, Todou's with me – Ah wait, that's what I thought earlier today as well…_

"Takahashi-kun."

Misaki looked up to find his friend staring at him with a concerned look on his face. When their eyes met, Todou smiled reassuringly.

"It's okay, I can go get your stuff for you."

Immediately, Misaki held up his hands as if in defense, frantically waving them around.

"Ah-n-no, you don't have to do that, Todou-kun! Really, I can get them myself, it's no problem!"

_I can't bother him simply because I don't want to go._

Todou, however, shook his head.

"It's no trouble, Takahashi-kun. I can understand that you wouldn't want to go back. Besides, I think…"

He paused for a moment and stared at some point past Misaki, before turning his attention back to him again, a serious look in his eyes.

"I think it might be better for Ijuuin-sensei if he didn't see you again this soon."

Misaki blinked in surprise. Then he let his mind wander back to the events from earlier that day – the mangaka's bruised cheek, the flash of hurt he thought he'd seen in his eyes for a moment, how the man had just walked away after Misaki's had told him how he felt about Usagi-san – and the truth of Todou's words hit him.

_That's right…He _is_ in love with me, after all…_

It was strange to think about it, but Misaki knew it was true. It made him feel kind of guilty for neglecting Ijuuin's feelings all this time, for assuming that it wouldn't be anything serious.

_Maybe it was because I was…scared? I didn't want to hurt him, so maybe…maybe that's why I never properly rejected him?_

And he still hadn't done so, he realized. Well, he _had_ made it pretty clear that he…loved Usagi-san, but he hadn't had a proper conversation with Ijuuin about it.

_If what Todou says is true, though, it might be better to wait a little longer – Ah, but wouldn't Ijuuin-sensei think that I was avoiding him then? In that case, it'd be better to go see him soon after all –but I don't want to hurt him or anything…_

"Takahashi-kun?"

Misaki quickly shook himself out of his thoughts and turned his attention back to his friend.

"I…I think you're right, Todou-kun…But… wouldn't it hurt Ijuuin-sensei if I ignored him?"

Todou took a moment to think about it before answering.

"That could be, yes…But I think it would hurt him more to see you right now. Ijuuin-sensei just had his heart broken, he needs some time to get over it…to get over you."

At that moment, the waiter arrived with their dinner, and they fell silent for a moment. After they'd thanked him and the man had left again, they started eating, Todou's words still echoing around in Misaki's head.

_His heart broken…He needs some time….To get over you…_

Misaki felt the knot in his stomach tighten. If only he'd rejected Ijuuin earlier…

Before he could get swallowed up by his guilt, Todou spoke up again, interrupting his thoughts.

"Uh…Takahashi-kun? On a whole other topic… Do you-do you mind if I ask you one more thing?"

Misaki looked up, surprised at how hesitant his friend sounded.

_I wonder what's up…?_

"N-no, go ahead," he said, suddenly feeling a bit nervous.

Todou bit his lip, a gesture Misaki didn't think he'd ever seen him make before, before continuing in that same hesitant tone of voice.

"I…When I asked you which people knew, you talked about Usami-san's family, but…you never said anything about yours…"

He trailed off, leaving the unspoken question hanging in the air between them.

Misaki stared at him for a moment, wide-eyed, before quickly averting his gaze.

"Uh, yes…that's…"

_Crap, I really didn't see that one coming…He's incredibly observant…_

"I…uh…you see, I-"

He could feel his cheeks heating up. Todou had been surprised that Misaki hadn't said anything to about his relationship before, even though he'd been together with Usagi-san for quite a long time, so what would his friend think of him when he learned that Misaki hadn't even told his own brother yet?

_He's the only family I've got left…And it's not that I don't trust him, it's just that…I-I don't want him to hate me…_

He could feel his eyes become moist, and he quickly blinked a few times, desperately trying to hold back the tears. He couldn't cry right now, they were in a restaurant! Plus he didn't want to – couldn't – ruin this night out with Todou even more than he'd already done.

Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder, and he looked up to find himself staring into his friend's face, who was leaning over the table, looking at him intently.

"Hey…Takahashi-kun, it's okay. I get it."

His body betrayed him, the tears spilling from his eyes, and Misaki could feel his face flush from embarrassment.

_God, he must think I'm such a loser…_

"I-I'm sorry," he sniffed, still attempting to stop the tears from falling, but finding he couldn't.

_I've never been able to stop crying once I'd started…that's why Usagi-san…_

Images of their first kiss suddenly flashed through Misaki's mind, and although he would never, ever admit it, at that moment he desperately wished Usagi-san would be there to hold him in his arms, to kiss him until all of his tears had disappeared, and to whisper to him in that low, comforting voice, telling him that everything would turn out fine.

He almost hit himself when he caught himself thinking that. Seriously, what was he, some kind of love sick high school girl? It was ridiculous, really.

Still, he wasn't able to shake off the feeling.

_I'll see him in a few hours…come on, Misaki, get yourself together!_

He brought his attention back to his friend, who was looking at him in surprise, eyes wide and worried.

"What are you sorry for?"

Misaki blinked a couple of times, before realizing what Todou was referring to.

"Oh…I-it's just that I keep ruining everything…"

Todou's eyes widened even more for a moment, then softened.

"You're not ruining anything, Takahashi-kun. I mean, sure, the afternoon was quite different from what I expected, but apart from that, I'm having a really good time."

He fell silent for a moment, then added: "….I'm sorry, too, for making you cry. I shouldn't have pried so much."

Misaki's eyes widened.

"N-no, you weren't! It's not your fault…"

Todou smiled at him.

"In that case, it's not your fault either, okay?"

Misaki stared at him for a little moment, then a smile started to make its way onto his face and he gave his friend an affirmative nod.

"Okay."

Todou's smile grew wider and he looked relieved.

"Great."

He seemed to hesitate for a moment, then continued: "…So I take it you haven't told your brother yet?"

Misaki swallowed and averted his eyes, before shaking his head.

"But…aren't you two really close?"

Still not looking up, Misaki almost whispered: "Yes…That's why I don't want him to ha- why I don't want to lose him."

His head flew up in surprise when Todou suddenly let out a chuckle. He was smiling at Misaki once more, his eyes shining like he was thinking about some inside joke Misaki didn't know about.

"W-what?"

Todou had to laugh even more at his confused expression.

"S-sorry, I understand that you're truly worried, and I know that it must be really hard…But…I just can't imagine your brother disliking you, let alone _hating_ you! It's almost impossible, if you ask me, what with the way he acts around you."

Another smile was sent Misaki's way, a soft, meaningful one.

"Your brother really loves you, Takahashi-kun. I understand that you're scared, but I'm sure he would accept you and Usagi-san. I mean, you two are his little brother and his best friend!"

Misaki could only stare at his friend. His words seemed too good to be true, something out of a fairy-tale – '_and they lived happily ever after…'_ - but still…

…_Maybe…Maybe he's right…._

His brother _did_ love him very much , Misaki knew that, and he also cared a lot about Usagi-san. So…

_So if Nii-chan understands that we're happy this way, he probably wouldn't…mind that much?_

When the truth of both Todou's words as well as his own thoughts hit him, Misaki felt like a heavy burden had just been lifted off of him. He let out a deep sigh and when Todou shot him a concerned look, he smiled reassuringly at him.

"Thank you, Todou-kun. I think…"

He hesitated for a moment. Was he really ready to do this?

_Yes. I already decided I would tell Nii-chan, I just postponed it all the time…_

"…I think I'll tell him. Soon, I mean."

Todou's face lit up in surprise and then changed into an expression Misaki couldn't quite place.

"You…You don't have to, you know, I didn't mean- You can just take your time, no need to rush or force yourself or anything."

Upon hearing the concern in his friend's voice, Misaki quickly spoke up again.

"Oh, no, please don't worry! I'd already decided that I would tell Nii-chan eventually, I just…"

Todou nodded in understanding and shot him a wide grin.

"That's good, then. Well, in that case, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you…Although, like I said, I don't think you're really going to need it."

Misaki smiled back at him, not for the first time glad to have someone as optimistic as Todou by his side.

"Thanks, Todou-kun…I really hope you're right."

* * *

><p>This evening, Nowaki decided, had turned out much better than he'd expected. He'd been really looking forward to see Hiro-san, which was partly due to the fact that he hoped Hiro-san would have made a decision about his parents, and partly just because he suddenly wanted to see his lover very badly. Around the time he'd gotten home, however, he'd received a text message saying that Hiro-san would go out drinking with Usami-san and Miyagi-san, which had left Nowaki feeling disappointed and – although he knew he shouldn't – a little anxious.<p>

But then Hiro-san had arrived at their apartment earlier than expected, and he'd even told Nowaki that he would call his parents to make an appointment with them. Upon hearing this, Nowaki hadn't been able to resist touching Hiro-san, and to make things even better, his usually rather shy lover had been quite enthusiastic on the touching part so far.

Right now, they were lying on their bed, facing each other. Apart from their shirts - which had landed in some unknown place, probably on the ground – they were still fully clothed.

_We're definitely moving much slower than usual._

Nowaki didn't mind in the slightest, though. It was still early, they had the remainder of the evening and the whole night before them. Plus this meant he had plenty of time to look at Hiro-san. He let his eyes slide over his lover's beautiful face, admiring his slightly flushed cheeks, his amazing eyes, with that special, brown-reddish color he' d only ever seen on Hiro-san, and the way the older man had let go of all of his usual barriers.

_He's even more gorgeous when he's relaxed…And - if possible - even cuter than he normally already is._

"Hiro-san," he whispered, reaching out a hand and brushing away some strands of hair. The faint blush on the other man's face became a little darker and he averted his eyes, but Nowaki noticed the way his lips curled slightly.

"Hiro-san…Please look at me."

Reluctantly, Hiro-san turned his head up to him. For a few seconds, they just stared into each other's eyes. Then, without any warning, Hiro-san moved closer towards him, lifted a hand and placed it on Nowaki's chest.

Nowaki could only stare at his lover.

_That's the second time this evening he's coming onto me…_

He almost didn't dare to breath when Hiro-san, his hand trembling slightly, started tracing random patterns on his chest, making shivers run down Nowaki's spine. He closed his eyes and unconsciously lifted his head back a little, enjoying the unexpected, but by no means unwelcome touch.

"…Beautiful."

Nowaki's eyes flew back open at the mumbled word.

_Did…Did he just…?_

Disbelievingly, he gaped at Hiro-san, who stared back at him with wide eyes.

"No – I didn't – I was just – " he spluttered, but his beet red face told Nowaki everything he needed to know. Even if he wanted to, he would never have been able to hold back the huge grin that spread across his face.

"Hiro-san… Thank you so much!"

If possible, his lover's face became even redder, and he retreated his hand with a speed that made it seem like he'd just burned himself on Nowaki's skin.

"D-don't thank me, you idiot! And don't expect me to say it again! It'd only go to your head, anyway," he huffed.

"Yes, Hiro-san!"

Then the full meaning of his lover's words hit him, and Nowaki could feel his cheeks heating up just the slightest bit.

_Hiro-san just called me beautiful…_

The older man must have noticed it, because he suddenly gave him a surprised look.

"What's up with you?"

"Ah-Nothing, Hiro-san," Nowaki quickly answered. "I'm just really happy that you called me beau – "

He was quickly silenced by Hiro-san's hand.

"B-baka! I told you not to let it get to your head!"

Nowaki couldn't suppress a laugh upon seeing his lover's expression.

"Yes. I'm sorry, Hiro-san."

Then, before the other man could respond, Nowaki closed the remaining distance between them and captured his lips in a soft kiss.

When they broke apart, Nowaki smiled at Hiro-san, who was even more flustered now, before deciding to change the subject. There was something he'd been meaning to ask his lover, after all.

"Hiro-san…I've been thinking…"

He paused, hesitating. He didn't want to give Hiro-san the feeling he was pushing him or anything, and he also didn't want to come off as impatient…

…_But it won't hurt to ask, right?_

"I was wondering…I've got a free evening this Friday, plus I'm done with work early, so I thought… maybe we could invite your parents over and I could cook for them? I mean, it doesn't happen very often that I've got that much time on my hands around dinner time, so…"

Hiro-san's eyes widened almost comically, weren't it for the fact that he suddenly looked…afraid, and Nowaki instantly regretted bringing it up.

"I-I'm sorry, Hiro-san, I shouldn't have – "

Hiro-san held up a hand to silence him and slowly shook his head.

"No, you're right…It's just…Two days…"

He took a deep breath, as if to calm himself down. Nowaki reached out for him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay, Hiro-san. We can call them later. Whenever you want to."

Hiro-san was silent for a moment, staring at some point behind Nowaki. When he looked at him again, there was a determined gleam in his eyes.

"We-I'll call them. Now, I mean."

Nowaki's mouth almost fell open.

_What?_

"You- You don't have to, Hiro-san, I didn't mean – "

His lover silenced him again with a shake of his head.

"I know, but I have to do this sooner or later – best to get it over with now."

He pushed himself to a sitting position and climbed of off the bed.

"Plus," he added, while looking around for his shirt, "it's Wednesday already. Tomorrow I won't be able to call them before four or five o'clock. So now is much more convenient."

The abandoned shirt was found somewhere in the corner of the room, and Hiro-san quickly put it on. Then he disappeared into the living room, leaving Nowaki to stare after him, still a bit surprised.

Although Hiro-san's arguments were absolutely right, something still felt off.

_Maybe…Maybe he's not trying to convince _me_, but himself…_

Whatever his reasons, Nowaki knew that his lover was nervous about this. How could he not, after it had taken so long for Hiro-san to even think about telling his parents? So he pushed himself off of the bed as well, picked up his own shirt – it seemed appropriate to wear one, even though it wasn't like Hiro-san's parents would be able to see him through the phone – and quickly followed his lover into the living room.

Hiro-san was already seated on the couch with his phone in his right hand. One look at his face told Nowaki that he wasn't just nervous – he was almost dreading this.

"Hiro-san," he whispered. He moved towards the couch and sat down next to his lover, putting an arm around him.

"You don't have to, you know. We can wait."

Sure, he really wanted to meet the parents of the man he loved so much – but he'd waited for years, a couple more days or months wouldn't hurt him.

Hiro-san frantically shook his head.

"No, I have to do this…It's just…" He looked away, almost as if he was ashamed, and added in a small voice: "…I just don't know how they're going to react."

As a response, Nowaki pulled him closer, pressing a soft kiss against his cheek, and whispered: "It'll be okay, Hiro-san. They're your parents, after all, so they have to be great as well. Plus, how could they not love someone as amazing as Hiro-san?"

Truthfully, Nowaki wasn't entirely sure of this. There were enough stories about parents abandoning their kids after they'd come out – plus it wasn't like he had any experience with this himself. He could imagine, however, what it'd feel like if one of the people from the orphanage would suddenly not want to see him anymore, and the thought was almost unbearable.

_It must be even harder to Hiro-san…_

His words seemed to calm down his lover a bit, though, because he nodded and brought his attention back to his phone. After searching for his parents' number and lightly tapping it, Hiro-san brought the device to his ear with a shaking hand. Nowaki reached for his other hand, giving it a comforting squeeze before intertwining their fingers.

'_Please be okay with it,'_ he silently begged Hiro-san's parents.

_Please. For Hiro-san._

* * *

><p>"So…I still think it's better if I go in alone. If you don't mind, that is."<p>

For the second time that day, Todou and Misaki were standing in front of Ijuuin's apartment. And just like the time before, Misaki was feeling pretty anxious. Images of Ijuuin kissing him, touching him, flew before his eyes, and he was actually relieved that Todou thought it was better that he stayed outside.

So when his friend turned back towards him, Misaki shook his head.

"No, that's okay. I'll just stay here – Eh, no, wait, then he'll see me of course – Eh…"

Todou couldn't suppress a smile.

"I believe we just came by a bar, just before this street. Maybe you could wait for me there? I'll be back as soon as possible, of course."

Misaki nodded in agreement.

"Okay. Thanks a lot, Todou-kun."

His friend smiled at him.

"You're welcome, Takahashi-kun."

He looked at the apartment door, and, after a moment, added: "You might want to leave before I ring the doorbell."

Misaki almost hit himself.

"Ah-yes, of course! I'll be going now!"

"See you later, Takahashi-kun," Todou grinned.

The bar was easy to find, thankfully. Misaki really didn't feel like getting lost at this hour. He was also relieved that there weren't many people inside – must have been because of the bad weather earlier.

Not daring to take a seat since he wasn't a customer, Misaki just settled on standing against a wall near the counter. Because he didn't have anything else to do, he just looked around a bit, until his eye fell on something that was lying at the other end of the counter.

His eyes widened.

_Can that be…?_

Hesitantly, he walked towards it, until he was close enough to see that it was indeed a lilac-colored scarf.

_No way…is that…Usagi-san's? But…what's it doing here?_

"Can I help you, sir?"

A bit startled, he looked up in the questioning face of what had to be the bartender.

"Ah-I'm sorry, it's just…This looks like it's from a…friend of mine, so…"

The man nodded.

"Well, this was left behind earlier today by someone…Could you give me a description of your friend?"

"Eh…Pretty tall, silver-colored hair, violet eyes…"

…_really handsome…_

Misaki blushed at his own thought.

The bartender smiled at him, before reaching for the scarf and offering it to Misaki.

"Yes, that's him, definitely. If you could give this back to your friend, that'd be really helpful, thanks."

_So it's really Usagi-san's…What was he doing here?_

Misaki stared at the man for a moment, before reminding himself that he had to take the scarf.

"Yes! I will! Thank you, sir," he smiled back, feeling a bit awkward. The moment was interrupted, though, by a familiar voice calling out to him.

"Takahashi-kun?"

Surprised, Misaki turned around.

"Todou-kun! You're back early!"

His friend smiled at him and held up his bag, before giving an exaggerated bow.

"Ta-da! Your bag, sir."

Relieved, Misaki took it from his friend.

"Thank you very much, Todou-kun!"

"You're welcome! Ah, what's that?" Todou asked, motioning towards the scarf.

Misaki looked back, suddenly remembering the bartender. The man smiled at him again and nodded, before turning back to his work.

"Oh, it seems Usagi-san has left this here," Misaki answered, turning back to his friend. Todou's eyebrows rose a little.

"Wow, talk about a coincidence…"

Misaki's eyes widened.

_Coincidence…It's quite curious indeed that Usagi-san was so close to Ijuuin's apartment…_

He hadn't been following him, had he? It was, of course, very much like Usagi-san to do so, but lately Misaki had felt like the man had trusted him more.

_He…he _does_ trust me, doesn't he?_

Misaki let out a sigh. Well, no use thinking about it now. He'd just have to ask Usagi-san about it when he got home.

"So, shall we go?" Todou asked, motioning towards the door. Misaki nodded and, after giving the bartender another smile, followed his friend out of the bar.

It was slowly getting darker outside, and they walked in silence for a while, until Misaki's gaze landed on Todou. The boy looked deep in thought, eyebrows furrowed a little, and Misaki suddenly had the feeling that something was up.

_Could it be that something happened at Ijuuin's…?_

"Todou-kun? Are you alright?"

His friend's head shot up and he blinked a couple of times.

"Wha- Yeah, sure, everything's fine."

Misaki looked at him disbelievingly.

_He's definitely lying._

He didn't want to push his friend, though, so he just nodded and continued staring at the road. A few seconds later, however, Todou spoke up again.

"It's just…I'm a bit worried about Ijuuin-sensei."

Todou almost looked guilty while saying this, which made Misaki frown. It wasn't like Todou had anything to do with what happened, so why…?

"I'm sorry!" his friend suddenly burst out. "I know that what he did to you was wrong and all, but he looked so sad and lonely just now and I feel kind of bad for leaving him behind like that…"

The knowledge that it was his fault that Ijuuin was hurt made Misaki's chest tighten with guilt. He really wished he could do something for the man, but, like Todou had said, that would probably make things even worse.

_So it's better if I keep out of it…But…_

"The why don't you go back to Ijuuin-sensei's apartment?"

Todou looked up at him, eyes widened in surprise.

"I-I mean, I can't help him, but maybe it'd be good for him to talk to someone else…and he likes you, Todou-kun, so…"

His friend looked relieved for a moment, but then he shook his head.

"I can't just leave you alone."

When Misaki looked at him questioningly, he explained: "Well, for one, we went out together, so it's only normal that we go home together as well."

Before Misaki could reply to that, Todou continued, grinning slightly: "And secondly, I've got the feeling – or actually, I'm pretty sure – that your Usami-san would kill me if I let you go home alone at this hour."

_Your _Usami-san.

Misaki was still blushing bright red by the time the meaning of the words hit him.

"H-hey! I'm not some girl that needs to be brought home!"

Todou was laughing out loud now and reached out to ruffle Misaki's hair.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. But your boyfriend is pretty overprotective, isn't he?"

Misaki's face turned an even darker shade of red.

_He's _got _to do this on purpose!_

Todou's expression turned serious again and he looked over his shoulder for a moment, before turning back to Misaki.

"You know what, I think I'm going with your plan. If you really don't mind, that is."

Misaki fervently shook his head.

"No, no, it's fine! Actually, I wish I could do something myself, but it's better if you go."

Todou nodded and gave him a smile.

"Alright, then I'll go back now. Please be careful, Takahashi-kun, and I'll see you tomorrow."

"You too, Todou-kun. See you tomorrow!" Misaki smiled back.

His friend turned around, heading back the way they'd come, and Misaki stared after him for a moment, still feeling a bit guilty about everything.

_I really hope Ijuuin-sensei will be okay…_

* * *

><p>By the time he heard the apartment door open, Akihiko was still fuming. He'd felt good when he got to kiss Misaki goodbye, and he'd felt great – screw that, he'd felt like he was on top of the world – when his cute little lover had declared his love for him in front of his friend and that stupid baka of an Ijuuin. When Akihiko had driven home, however, his earlier rage about Ijuuin's actions had come back, twice as strong as earlier. How dare that asshole, kiss and do god knows what else to <em>his<em> Misaki, and then have the nerve to brag about it, too! Akihiko felt like killing the man, or at least go back and hit the crap out of him – again.

But he knew Misaki wouldn't like it if he did that, and if there was something he wanted to avoid at all costs, it was upsetting his lover. So Akihiko had stayed inside and tried to distract himself from any murderous thoughts – which had proven to be even more difficult than he'd expected. Therefore, he was very relieved when he heard the apartment door open and Misaki's quick steps enter the room.

Without saying a word, Akihiko dropped his book on the couch, took a few long steps towards the door and wrapped his arms around his lover.

"U-usagi-san!"

Akihiko stifled a laugh. Seriously, he did this almost every time the boy got home; you'd think he would be used to it by now.

_Although, to be honest, I'm kind of glad he isn't…he's so cute when he looks half annoyed, half embarrassed._

"Welcome home, Misaki," he whispered in the brunettes ear, enjoying the blush that crept onto his face.

"I-I'm home…"

"Did you have a nice evening?"

Misaki nodded, still a bit flushed.

"Yes, it was great, thank – ah!"

He cut off his sentence when Akihiko playfully bit his earlobe. The novelist smirked, following the outline of his lover's ear with his tongue, which earned him a delicious moan from the boy, before breathing in his ear:

"That's good, then. How about we make your evening even better…_Mi-sa-ki_."

As expected, his lover's reaction was great: his eyes widened almost comically, his face became truly scarlet now, and Akihiko was pretty sure he felt the boy shivering.

_God, Misaki…Please stop being so amazingly cute, you're driving me crazy…_

"You know, you definitely broke all of my rules this evening…"

He paused to move to Misaki's jaw and started to suck lightly on the sensitive skin there, which elicited a sound that made Akihiko want to tear away all of the clothes on his lover's body right then and there.

"…Maybe I should punish you for it."

Misaki's eyes widened again, looking shocked.

"N-no, Usa– "

Akihiko silenced him by pressing his lips against the boy's, nipping them softly, before sliding his tongue over Misaki's bottom lip. His lover froze for a moment, then responded by opening his mouth a bit and wrapping his arms around Akihiko, tightly gripping his shirt.

Their kiss deepened and as he explored the depths of Misaki's mouth, Akihiko realized, not for the first time, how lucky he was to have someone so wonderful and amazing in his life.

_For some reason, he changes everything._

He slid a hand under Misaki's shirt and started to move upwards slowly, caressing the skin and marveling at the softness of it. He really couldn't get enough of this boy – young man, he should say – body and soul. Just when he decided ripping his lover's clothes off would be a very good idea indeed, Misaki's phone started ringing.

Ignoring whoever it was that was trying to interrupt them, Akihiko resumed his explorations of Misaki's body, but his lover seemed to have other plans.

"U-usagi-san…I need to pick it up…it might be im-ah…important," he managed to get out, clearly distracted by the fact that Akihiko was now rubbing his nipple between his thumb and index finger. The novelist smirked.

"Oh? What could possibly be more important than _this _right now?"

Teasingly, he pinched the nipple, before letting go of it and leaning into the boy again, aiming for his lips. Misaki, however, took this change to take a few steps back, holding up his hands in defense.

"I-I'm sorry, but I really need to see who's calling…"

Akihiko sighed, then nodded.

"Fine. But you better make it quick…I don't know how long I'll be able to restrain myself."

He smirked upon seeing the look on his lover's face. Misaki was just so much fun to tease.

_Although, to be honest, I really don't think I'll be able to hold back much longer…_

Misaki's cell phone stopped ringing the moment he took it out of his bag. He looked at the display, and his face took on a surprised expression as he read out loud: "…Takatsuki-kun."

Blinking a few times, he looked up at Akihiko again.

"I'm not sure why he's calling, but I'd better call him ba – "

Just at that moment, the phone started ringing again, startling Misaki.

"H-hello?...Oh, hi, Takatsuki-kun…W-what?"

His eyes flew to Akihiko for a moment, then he looked away again.

"Yes…no, I'm fine…Yeah, really, just…things happened…"

Another look was shot his way. For a moment, Akihiko wondered what that was about, but then he realized that Miyagi must have said something to his lover regarding the afternoon's events.

"Anyway, I-I'll tell you about it later. How are you doing, Takatsuki-kun?"

Akihiko couldn't supress a little sigh of impatience. He was glad – truly glad – that Misaki seemed to have made a good friend, one who even called him out of concern, but right now, he wanted nothing more than just throw the damn phone out of the window.

_There might be an easier way to finish that call quickly, though…_

Smirking, he made his way over to Misaki, wrapping his arms around him in a hug and pressing his lips against the boy's neck.

"I'm glad to hear tha- Ah!"

Upon noticing the skin contact, Misaki's head shot up, startled.

"N-no, everything's okay…" he said into the phone, giving Akihiko a stern look, but the effect was ruined because of his shaking voice.

Misaki turned his attention back to his friend. A few seconds later, though, Akihiko noticed that his cheeks were slowly turning red, and he couldn't stifle a smile. He was pretty sure Takatsuki had just more or less guessed what was going on.

_That kid's damn sharp…_

"No, that's not-!" Misaki listened for a moment, sighed, then admitted: "…y-yeah, you…might be right."

Akihiko could hear Takatsuki laugh from the other end of the phone.

"What's he saying?" he asked, leaning closer in an attempt to hear the boy's answer. If they had to be interrupted by a phone call, then he at least wanted to enjoy it a bit. Misaki, however, tried to move away from him, but Akihiko caught his arm, holding it in place. Then he reached out and hit the speaker button.

"U-usagi-san!" Misaki spluttered, trying to switch off the speaker function, but Akihiko captured his other hand as well. Then he leaned in even further, closing the remaining distance between them, and planted his lips on Misaki's.

"Mphf-B-baka Usagi!" his lover cried out, simultaneously leaning back and pushing Akihiko away.

There was more laughter coming out of the cell phone now and Misaki turned even redder when he realized he had just completely confirmed his friend's suspicions.

"It sounds like you're having fun, Takahashi-kun," Takatsuki commented from the other end of the line, sounding amused.

This made Akihiko smile as well.

"Oh yes, we're definitely enjoying ourselves," he replied, which earned him a surprised sound from Takatsuki and an indignant squeak from Misaki.

"U-usagi-san!"

"Usami-sensei?"

Akihiko laughed a little when the two boys spoke simultaneously.

"Good evening, Takatsuki-kun. I'm sorry, but would you mind calling Misaki back later? We were just in the middle of s-"

He was cut off by his lover, who pressed his hand against Akihiko's mouth, looking panicked.

"B-baka! Don't say things like that!"

Akihiko looked at him in surprise for a moment. When he finally realized what Misaki was so upset about, a smirk started to spread over his face.

"You know," he said, taking the boy's hand off of his face and holding it in his own, intertwining their fingers, "I was just going to say 'in the middle of _something_', but if you think 'in the middle of _sex_' would be clearer to Takatsuki-kun, then that's fine with me, too."

Misaki's face really looked like it could explode any moment now.

"B-b-baka Usagi!"

His lover shot him a glare – but he didn't, Akihiko remarked, try to remove his hand from his grip – before turning towards his phone.

"I-I'm really sorry, Takatsuki-kun, he's…" he paused, listening, then asked: "…Takatsuki-kun? Are you still there?"

"…Y-yes, sorry," his friend answered, sounding strange. After a moment, Akihiko realized the boy was trying to hold back his laughter.

…_I think I might just come to like this guy._

"A-anyway," Takatsuki continued, voice still different from usual, "I really should hang up now. After all – " Akihiko could practically hear the boy smirking, and he knew the words were meant for him – "we'd like to _enjoy_ our evening as well."

Akihiko almost laughed out loud at the words.

_Scrap that, I like him already._

He managed to keep a straight face, though, answering instead: "Well, that's perfectly understandable. Please give my regards to Miyagi-san…and have fun tonight."

He heard Takatsuki snort at the other end of the line.

"Thank you, I will. A good evening to you too, Usami-san…and Takahashi-kun?"

Akihiko moved his gaze to Misaki, who, during his conversation with Takatsuki-kun, had been looking between Akihiko and the phone like he was watching a tennis match. The novelist smiled.

_Knowing Misaki, he's probably wondering how we can talk about something like this so casually…_

"Ah-yes?"

It was silent for a moment at the other end of the line, then Takatsuki said: "…Make sure to have a lot of fun tonight. There's no saying how long you'll have to do without once we've started our 'no-smoking plan', after all."

Misaki slowly turned beet red, and Akihiko briefly wondered what that was about, exactly. But then he took a good look at his lover – blushing, his lips still swollen from their kisses and his shirt crinkled, showing a strap of deliciously looking bare skin – and he decided he could find out later. Right now, it was time they would finally finish what they'd started.

The moment Misaki had finally – finally! – hung up the phone, he moved forward, gripping his lover's shoulders, and driving him into the nearest wall, where he hungrily attacked the boy's mouth.

"Hmpf-U-usagi-san…w-wait…"

_I'm sorry, Misaki, but I really can't wait right now._

He opened the boy's mouth with his tongue, resuming his exploration of the familiar territory. But just as he was about to make the kiss more intense, he felt his lover's hands grip his upper arms and he was pushed back forcefully.

Blinking a couple of times, he stared at the boy, who answered his gaze with a serious and determined expression on his face.

"I-I'm sorry, Usagi-san…But there's something I need to tell you first."

Akihiko tried not to, he really did, but he couldn't help but fear the worst.

_He's…He's not going to tell me he likes that asshole of an Ijuuin after all, right?_

He shook his head lightly, trying to lose the thought. Of course Misaki wouldn't say that, not after he'd declared his love for him like he had. Plus he'd definitely enjoyed their making out session before the phone call.

"I – " Misaki paused. He seemed to hesitate, so Akihiko took a step forward again and took one of his lover's hands in his own.

"It's okay, Misaki," he said, rubbing soothing circles on his palm. "Whatever it is, you can tell me."

His lover nodded and, after a moment, looked up at him, face determined again.

"I want to tell Nii-chan about…about us. Soon, I mean."

Akihiko's heart suddenly felt so light he was afraid it would float out of his chest, and he couldn't stop the smile that was slowly spreading over his face even if he wanted to.

_He wants to tell Takahiro…_

…_soon…_

…_us. He said 'us'._

He smiled broadly at Misaki, intertwining their fingers once more, and pulled his lover closer.

'_Yes',_ he thought, as he put his lips on Misaki's – and somehow, even though they'd done this countless times before, it felt like their first kiss all over again – _'yes, life is truly beautiful.'_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: …And that was, finally, the promised Romantica fluff! Next chapter there will be more of this (a continuation of this scene, actually), and I believe a certain phone call has to be made…**

**If you haven't read the author's note at the beginning (which I can understand, since my A/N's are usually ridiculously long), could you please do that? I'd love to hear your opinion on Ijuuin and Todou. (In case you don't feel like leaving it in a review, feel free to PM me :D). And, as always, please let me know what you think about the chapter! Thank you very much in advance, and until next time! :D**


	17. Enjoyable evenings and good explanations

**A/N: Hey there! This chapter is slightly shorter than the last ones (still fourteen pages in Word, though), but I wanted to update today, since tomorrow, my introduction week at University is going to start…Whaah I'm nervous! I won't be back until Saturday, and then I'll probably be really tired, and the Monday after that, my lectures will start. I have absolutely no idea how busy I'm going to get, but I'm just saying it in advance, so you'll know what the reason is if I take a long time with updating again. I also don't know how often I'll be able to update once I've started my new studies, but please know that I have no intentions whatsoever to abandon this fic. I'll just find a way to make it all work :D**

**Thank you all so much for giving your opinions on Ijuuin and Todou! I was very surprised and happy that so many people have reacted. I've got some ideas now, also thanks to my mother (I was freaking out a bit over it and I asked here…and she gave me brilliant ideas. Thanks a lot, mom! (She's not reading this fic (I won't let her xD), but I thought I'd thank her anyway ^^). I've decided I'm not going to decide yet (talk about a paradox), I'm just going to write and see what happens. Whatever I decide in the end, I hope you can all live with it, because sadly, I can't please everyone.**

**Also a special shout-out to **XxRin-sanxX**, who gave me the idea of Shinobu liking musicals (or actually, being a 'theater nerd' xD). Thanks a lot! :D**

**Now, on to the reviews, because this PM is once again becoming way too long…**

**Bajusz: Hi! That's okay, you probably had loads of other stuff to do in that case. How is Spain? I'm sorry to hear you're lonely, are you doing better now? I really hope so. **

**Thank you so much, I'm very happy to hear that! :D And at the end of this chapter there's some more Terrorist, especially for you! ;D Also, thanks for giving your opinion on Ijuuin and Todou. Well, whatever happens, I could put a jealous Todou in it anyway…I'd been thinking about it before and you've just reminded me, so thanks a lot! :D**

**I know, I know…I'm really sorry! *hides behind pillow* I'll do my best on quicker updates, but I can't really promise anything, since I don't know what university life is going to bring…but I'll try! :D Kisses to you too and thanks again!**

**Visitor: Thank you so much for yet another wonderful reply! I can't tell you how happy I am to hear that, it really means a lot to me :D And thanks for explaining it again. Honestly, I just don't feel comfortable with writing sex scenes (I've never even tried it, actually), so I'm glad you think like that ^^ Also, thanks for giving your opinion on Todou and Ijuuin. I'm really happy you'll read it anyway :) Ha ha, the no-smoking diet, as you called it (love that name, by the way :D) will be brought up again soon. Thank you very very much for reviewing again! :D **

**And of course, thank you very much as well for everyone who has favorited, followed or is simply reading this: I know I've said it before, but it really means a lot. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Junjou Romantica.**

* * *

><p>The moment he'd hung up the phone, Misaki realized he'd completely forgotten to tell Shinobu about Todou, so he figured he would send him a text message later that evening.<p>

Much, much later, apparently.

Usagi-san seemed to be all over him; one moment his lips were on Misaki's mouth, nipping and sucking and making his head spin; the next they were on his jaw, his neck, following the outline of his ear, and then back on his mouth again. At the same time, it felt like the novelist's hands were everywhere at once, first tangled in his hair, simultaneously pulling on and stroking his locks, then before Misaki knew it, Usagi-san had moved them to caress his face before sliding down his back and finding his way under Misaki's shirt, his cold touch leaving burning trails all over the bare skin.

"Ah-U-usagi-san…"

The novelist smirked at him.

"I told Takatsuki-kun we would enjoy ourselves, didn't I?"

"B-baka! I wasn't enjoying myself, your hands are just cold!"

"Ah, I see. But still, you like it when I use them for this, don't you?"

While Usagi-san sent him another devilish smirk, Misaki felt the man's hands travel upwards, where he started to slowly massage both of his nipples at once. He wanted to deny Usagi-san's words, but his body betrayed him, and he let out a soft moan instead.

"Well, we're back where we've started," Usagi-san commented, chuckling a little. "Let's go a bit further this time, shall we?"

Misaki wanted to protest some more, put up a struggle like he normally did, but his mouth was once again occupied, and Usagi-san's hands had apparently finished their job and where now travelling lower, lower, and all he could feel and smell and taste was Usagi-san, Usagi-san, Usagi-san, and it felt so damn _good_ that he just didn't feel like putting up a fight anymore.

He briefly wondered at this, but before he could really think about it, the hands had reached his trousers and were now fumbling with the button. As Usagi-san slid the article of clothing down his legs, Misaki's eyes flew open, and he found himself looking into the other man's violet orbs. They were completely focused on him, staring at him with a burning intensity, and filled with passion and lust and…

…_love…_

Suddenly, a strong wave of emotions came over Misaki as well, hitting him at full speed and making him stare back at Usagi-san, wide-eyed.

_I – I love him…I love him…so much…_

Before he could stop himself, before he could even really think about it, Misaki threw his arms around the other man, pulling him closer, and, slowly, a bit hesitantly now, he pressed his lips against Usagi-san's.

The novelist seemed completely frozen for a moment, but then Misaki felt his lips move against his own, and they were kissing like never before. It felt amazing, mouths hungrily attacking each other, tongues fighting for dominance, hands gripping hair, clothes, anything, just as long as it brought them closer to each other.

When they finally broke apart to catch their breathes, Misaki opened his eyes again. Somehow they'd ended up on the floor, Usagi-san laying on top of him, and he could almost feel the man's heartbeat pulsing through his own chest. It reminded him of their first time, and the thought made Misaki feel a little less scared about what they – he – were doing.

Because it was scary, participating like this. He hadn't had the time – hadn't given himself the time – to think about anything he could do wrong in this situation, but now that they were taking a break, he became conscious of all of the worries that had been lurking somewhere in the back of his head.

_I didn't…do anything weird, did I? Usagi-san must have kissed quite some people before me, but I have never…Crap, I hope I didn't screw up…_

"Misaki?"

His eyes flew up to Usagi-san's face, and one look made all of his insecurities vanish. If possible, the novelist was looking at him even more lovingly than before, and the sight made Misaki's heart skip a beat.

"Usagi-san…"

The older man lifted a hand and brought it to Misaki's face, carefully stroking a strand of hair aside, before leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to his mouth.

"What's up with you today?" he asked, voice hushed, face still close to Misaki's. "You're usually not this…enthusiastic. Not that I'm complaining, of course," he added, a faint of his trademark smirk becoming visible.

"I-I don't know," Misaki mumbled. He looked away, blushing a bit, before thinking out loud: "It's maybe…because of Todou-kun, I think…and because I made a decision about Nii-chan…Well, I'm really not sure myself…"

Before he could really go on the rambling tour, Usagi-san had already pulled him into an embrace, his face buried in Misaki's shoulder. After a short moment, he wrapped his own arms around the novelist as well, hugging him back.

They lay there for a moment, and it felt so wonderful Misaki almost wished they could stay like that forever. Then Usagi-san lifted his head a bit and mumbled in his ear: "I love you, Misaki."

Misaki froze.

It was completely ridiculous, he told himself. After all, Usagi-san had said those exact same words to him a hundred times before. But for some reason it felt different this time, although he couldn't quite say why. It was only when the silence dragged on that Misaki realized what was new about the situation.

Normally, the other man's words had a definite sound to them, like Usagi-san was stating a fact by declaring his love for him. And although it hadn't sounded any less sincere or sure this time, the silence that followed the novelist's words wasn't definite at all. It was more…

…_expectant._

Suddenly, Misaki's heart starting beating twice as fast as it had already been.

_Could this…could this be because of earlier today? Because I already told him that I love him once…he expects me to be able to say it now as well?_

He could feel the heat rushing to his face and his hands started to feel a bit sweaty. Swallowing, he looked down at the other man, let his eyes travel over his beautiful, silver-colored hair, his slender yet strong back, the long legs that were intertwined with his own, and found it wasn't that hard anymore to acknowledge his feelings.

_I love him…I really do, but…_

Actually saying it out loud still wasn't something that came easy to Misaki. He'd thought it would have been more difficult with Ijuuin and Todou there as well, but now, being alone with Usagi-san, the silence in the room only broken by their breathing, he realized that this was way, _way_ more nerve-wrecking.

Usagi-san started to move a bit, and suddenly Misaki couldn't take it anymore. He didn't want to see the other man's face, didn't want to see the hurt in his eyes and know that he was the one who'd caused it.

_Plus…doesn't he deserve to hear it?_

"Usagi-san, I…" he started, at the same moment Usagi-san said: "Misaki…"

They stared at each other for a moment, until one corner of Usagi-san's mouth started to creep up. Misaki managed to keep a straight face for a little longer, but then he also cracked a smile, and before he knew it they were both shaking with laughter. The fact that their limbs were still intertwined made everything even funnier, and by the time they'd calmed down a bit, both of them were whipping tears from their eyes.

"Do you happen to know what we're laughing about?" Usagi-san asked, still slightly out of breath, eyes shining. This was a side of the novelist that he didn't show very often, which made Misaki feel kind of special every time the man _did _show it in front of him.

"No idea," he admitted, still laughing a bit. It turned into a nervous chuckle, however, when he remembered what they'd been talking about before – and that he still had to reply.

_I could just let it slip, though…_

The moment the thought came up, Misaki was already shaking his head. No. He couldn't – wouldn't – do that to Usagi-san.

"Misaki?"

He looked up in Usagi-san's eyes and forced himself to hold his gaze while he spoke the words he knew the older man wanted to hear.

"Usagi-san, I – I love you."

Silence.

Misaki had thought that Usagi-san had looked stunned when he'd told him about his resolution concerning Nii-chan – but that was nothing compared to _this_.

The novelist seemed completely frozen, jaw slacked and one hand raised slightly, as if he had just wanted to reach out to Misaki. It didn't look like a comfortable position, but the man didn't seem to notice at all. He just stared at him, eyes wider than ever and gazing at Misaki so intensely, without blinking even, that it felt like they were seeing inside his soul, leaving him feeling naked and vulnerable.

For some reason, though, the idea wasn't as scary as he would have expected.

"You…what?"

It seemed like Usagi-san had finally found his voice again, although Misaki couldn't say he was very happy with it at the moment, for the man's words made his cheeks burn scarlet – again.

"B-baka, it's not like I've never said it before," he mumbled, looking away.

There was a short silence before Usagi-san spoke up again, and the soft tone of voice made Misaki's stomach do weird things.

"That's true….But you've never said it like this – like you…like you _want_ to say it."

The words made him feel a bit guilty and he looked up, ready to deny it, but Usagi-san was faster.

Before Misaki could do so much as blink, he was tackled to the ground and strong, familiar arms were wrapped around him, holding him tightly yet carefully.

_Like something precious…_

Misaki cursed himself when he felt his face heat up. As if it wasn't bad enough that Usagi-san caused that all the time, now he was making himself blush as well? He was quickly distracted from his thoughts, however, when he felt the other man's lips on his ear again.

"Misaki…thank you…thank you so much."

There was so much emotion in Usagi-san's voice, giving Misaki chills all over, and no matter how hard he tried to keep his cool, it felt like not only his face but his whole body was on fire, the chills quickly turning into warmth when Usagi-san pulled him even closer.

"I love you, Misaki. I love you so much I can't even begin to tell you."

Misaki's heart felt like it was seriously going to stop now. How was it possible that this man's words had such an impact on him?

Unlike a few years ago – or maybe even a few days ago, if he was honest with himself – he found he didn't really mind anymore, though. Quite the contrary. The words kept repeating themselves in his head, forever engraving themselves in his memory, and they were like the sweetest song Misaki had ever heard.

He knew what he had to do now.

Unexpectedly, saying it a second time seemed even more difficult than saying it for the first time. Misaki's hands started shaking slightly and the thought of backing out entered his head. But then Usagi-san started placing kisses all over his face, soft, sweet touches that left Misaki yearning for more, and he realized he would do it anyway.

_I think – no, I _know_ I'd do anything for him…Anything to make Usagi-san happy._

"M-me too. I…love you too, Usagi-san. Very much."

_You have no idea._

This time, the older man didn't reply with words but let his actions speak for him, once again placing his lips on Misaki's. Soon, they were sharing one of their most passionate kisses yet, and Misaki even dared to be so bold as to nibble on Usagi-san's bottom lip a little, which made the other man stiffen in surprise at first, but then kiss him back even more enthusiastically.

When they were both flushed and out of breath again, Usagi-san swooped him up in his arms without a word, obviously heading for the bedroom. And for the first time ever, Misaki didn't even think about protesting. Letting his head rest against the other man's chest, he let himself be carried upstairs by his lover.

His eyes snapped open at the thought.

_My lo-_

His heart had started beating a little faster, but he soon relaxed again when the rightness of the words sank in.

_Yes. My lover._

Misaki closed his eyes again and smiled.

It was definitely a nice thought.

* * *

><p>Hiroki was sitting on the couch, right hand holding his phone to his ear, left hand intertwined with Nowaki's and his heart beating so loud that he was afraid his lover would be able to hear it. He tried to keep his hands from shaking as he listened to the sounds that indicated that there was another phone in another house ringing at the moment – his parents'. He imagined his mother – she was usually the quickest to pick up – looking at the display, and her surprised and happy expression when she realized it was her only son calling. Then he pictured how she would pick up – scolding him for not contacting him more often, sounding angry even though they both knew that she was simply hiding her joy, probably even smiling at the other end of the line.<p>

Hiroki could only hope she would keep smiling when he told her.

He was just thinking how maybe he should call his parents more often – not about things like this, of course – when someone picked up, startling him and almost causing him to drop his phone.

"Hiroki! _Finally _you give us a call! How long has it been, three years? Your poor mother isn't getting any younger, you know."

Normally, Hiroki would have rolled his eyes at her dramatic and accusing tone, but this time his nerves seemed to be in the way. Trying not to sound any different from usual, he replied:

"I honestly think you're a bit exaggerating there, mother."

"Accusing me already? Don't I even get a 'hello mother' anymore?"

Hiroki could have told her the same, which he would have done any other time. Not now, though.

"Hello mother."

Maybe it was her mother's instinct, or maybe she simply heard something in his voice, but she seemed to sense that something was wrong, because she asked: "Are you okay, Hiroki?"

No _'Are you eating properly?'_ or _'Is your apartment clean enough?'_ or even the dreaded _'Have you found a nice girl yet?'_. No. Just those three simple words.

Three simple words that almost made him tear up.

Nowaki seemed to pick up on his discomfort, squeezing his hand again, and Hiroki was thankful for the silent support.

Swallowing the lump that had formed itself in his throat, he answered: " No…yes…There's...There's something I need to tell you."

When his mother spoke again, there was a worried undertone in her voice.

"I'm listening."

His heartbeat sped up again and his hands really started to shake now. He tried taking a few deep breaths, but it did little to calm his nerves.

"I…There is…I'm…living together with someone."

It sounded weak, even to his own ears, and it definitely didn't sum up what Nowaki and he had – not at all – but it was a start.

It was silent for a moment on the other end of the line, then his mother's voice was back.

"Oh Hiroki – that's wonderful! Wait – is it that girl from the letter? You're living together already?"

Hiroki couldn't help but cringe a little at the words 'girl' and 'already'. After all, _Nowaki_ and he had been together for quite some time now.

When he stayed silent his mother asked, as if reading his thoughts: "…Hiroki? How long have you two been together, exactly?"

_Crap._

There it was. He could lie, of course, but the truth would come out sooner or later anyway. And while he was inclined to think that 'later' would be better, he knew that usually wasn't true.

Bracing himself and squeezing Nowaki's hand just a little too hard, he answered:

"T-ten years."

There was another silence, but it didn't last very long.

"Ten years?!" his mother's voice burst through the speaker. "_Ten_ years?! All that time, and you didn't even introduce her to us? You realize we're your parents, don't you? And what about the poor girl?! Kamijou Hiroki, you'd better have a _really_ good explanation for this!"

Even though the words didn't come unexpected, Hiroki couldn't help but cringe. This was it. He really had to say it right now. His heart was beating so loud that it felt like it would jump out of his chest any moment now, and once again he was eternally grateful for Nowaki, calmly sitting next to him and rubbing soothing circles on the top of his hand. He didn't think he would have been able, would have had the courage to say his next words if it weren't for Nowaki.

"It's…It's not a girl."

Silence again. Then his mother's confused voice: "…What?"

Hiroki wasn't sure if she asked because he'd spoken so quietly or just because she couldn't believe his words, but if he had to guess he'd say it was the latter.

"I…"

Hiroki considered backing out for a moment. He didn't know how, exactly, but he was sure there would be a way to take back his words, to restore the image his mother had of him and his future – wedding, loving wife, children. But then he looked at Nowaki, thought about his sweet smile, his caring personality, the way he could make him feel with just the slightest touch. He thought about everything they'd gone through together, and the fact that their relationship had survived all of it. And he thought about how deeply he cared for the other man, how he felt more for him than he'd ever felt for anyone before – and he knew Nowaki didn't deserve that. This wonderful person didn't deserve to be his dirty little secret or anything like that. He deserved to be part of a family, like Hiroki knew he wanted to be.

So he cleared his throat and continued, in a much stronger voice than before: "It's not a girl, mother. I'm…I'm together with a man."

As soon as he'd spoken the words, a familiar arm was wrapped around his shoulder. Hiroki gave another squeeze to thank his lover, but didn't look up, keeping his attention focused on the phone instead, anxiously waiting for a reply.

This time, the silence dragged on, and just when it got to the point where Hiroki was starting to think he'd rather have his mother blow up at him again than endure this silent torture any longer, he heard her voice again.

"That's…Hiroki, are you…are you sure about this?"

He looked at Nowaki again and despite all of his nerves and worries, a smile found its way onto his face.

"Yes, mother. I'm absolutely sure."

_I love him._

"Well, that's…that's good then, I guess…"

His mother still sounded confused and surprised, for which Hiroki couldn't blame her. But now that his nerves had calmed down a bit, he also realized that she didn't sound mad, or worse, disgusted at all. The thought gave him just enough confidence to drop the next bomb.

"So ehm…Actually, he would really like to meet the two of you…" he started, a little hesitantly.

When his mother didn't immediately reply, he continued: "He's got the afternoon and evening off this Friday, which is rare for him since he works at the hospital, and he's offered to cook for you."

Another short silence, and then she finally spoke up again.

"…That's…really sweet of him, but I'm not sure…I'll have to ask your dad, of course – " Hiroki's stomach clenched at the reminder that there was still one parent left to tell – "…but…but I suppose we could."

Hiroki felt his eyes widen a little at her answer.

_That certainly went more… smoothly than I expected._

"There is one thing, though," his mother continued, which made Hiroki sit upright at once, heartbeat speeding up again.

"Y-yes?"

"Before we meet up, I'd at least like to know your… his name."

He breathed a sigh of relief, ignoring her hesitation for the moment, and while his gaze almost unconsciously shifted to the man sitting next to him, he answered: "Nowaki…Kusama Nowaki."

His lover's face brightened at the mention of his name – apparently, he took it as a good sign that they'd gotten to that point – and he smiled at Hiroki, such a warm, sincere smile that Hiroki couldn't do anything but smile back, regardless of the anxiousness he still felt.

"Nowaki…that's an unusual name."

Feeling like this wasn't the time nor the place to explain his lover's past to his mother, Hiroki let the comment slide. Instead, he decided to get back to their previous subject.

"So…can I tell him it's okay? About this Friday, I mean."

"…Yes…Yes, I guess so… What time would be convenient for you?"

Hiroki glanced at Nowaki again.

"How much time do you think you need?" he asked softly.

This time, his lover's face didn't just brighten – it completely lighted up. In fact, Hiroki felt like if his expression would become any happier, his lover might literally start glowing.

"Any time is good for me, since I've got the whole afternoon off. You're the one who has to work, Hiro-san, so it's up to you."

"…Hiroki? Is that…is that him?"

His mother's voice on the other end of the line startled Hiroki for a moment.

"Yes, that's…that's him."

_God this is awkward._

After a short silence, he continued in what he hoped was a normal conversational tone: "How about eight O'clock? I've got to work quite late, and you'll have to come all this way, so that would give us all enough time to get ready."

"Yes, I think eight would be fine…"

His mother trailed off, and Hiroki was pretty sure that she wasn't finished yet, so he waited for her to continue.

He certainly hadn't expected her next words, though.

"Could I maybe…talk to hi- to Kusama-kun for a little while?"

During a few seconds, all Hiroki could do was sit there, stunned.

_She wants to…talk to him? That's…that's a good sign, isn't it? Unless…_

He shook his head, pushing all negative thoughts aside. No. His mother had been taking everything pretty well – really well, actually – so he shouldn't doubt her motives now.

_Plus she called Nowaki by his name…_

And although it had been a little weird, hearing the name of someone he'd been keeping from his parents for so long coming from his mother's lips, that had to be a good sign as well.

He turned towards Nowaki, suddenly hesitating.

"My mother…she wants to speak to you. Would you like to as well?" he asked quietly, holding the phone away from them as far as possible to keep his mother from overhearing Nowaki's answer. When his lover didn't immediately reply, Hiroki quickly added: "You don't have to, of course, she'll understand – well, she'll just have to understand – "

He cut himself off when he finally took a good look at the man next to him. Nowaki was beaming again, practically bouncing on the couch like an over-excited puppy.

"Of course, Hiro-san! I'd love to talk to your mother!"

Hiroki cringed a little, afraid his mother would be able to hear him on the other end of the line.

_But…would that really be such a bad thing?_

A small smile made its way onto his face and he brought the phone back to his ear.

"Mother? I'm handing the phone over to Nowaki."

"Okay…Oh, and Hiroki?"

"…Yes?"

"…Thank you. For telling me, I mean."

To his shame, he could feel his cheeks heating up at the sincerity of her words. Quickly, he turned his head so that his lover wouldn't be able to notice.

"I'm giving the phone to Nowaki now, mother. Bye."

He removed the device from his ear, but not before he'd heard his mother's chuckle on the other end of the line.

_She really knows me too well._

Nowaki took the phone from him, still looking like a little kid in a candy shop, and while his lover talked to his mother, Hiroki watched him with a soft smile on his face.

He hadn't exactly been looking forward to this conversation – hell, he'd dreaded it – but everything had turned out so much better than he'd anticipated. His mother seemed to be pretty okay with the whole situation, if somewhat unaccustomed to the idea, so that was at least one worry less. His father…well, he was generally easier to handle than his mother, but the whole…_gay_-thing was something that usually bothered other men more than women, so Hiroki wasn't quite sure how he'd react.

_At least I won't have to be the one to tell him…_

He knew that the first thing his mother would do when she got off the phone was inform his father, like she always did when she had any kind of news,and for once he was thankful for that.

So that left the dinner this Friday.

The thought made his stomach clench, but then the sound of Nowaki's laughter caught his attention, and he looked up at his lover, who was smiling while he talked into the phone, eyes sparkling, and Hiroki found himself starting to believe that maybe, just maybe, the whole thing wouldn't be as awful as he'd been afraid it would be.

* * *

><p>The moment Shinobu hung up the phone, Miyagi entered the kitchen.<p>

"And, is Takahashi-kun doing okay?" his lover asked, while picking up a tea towel and starting on the plates Shinobu had just cleaned.

Smirking, Shinobu recalled his conversation with Usagi-san from just now.

"Oh yes, he's more than okay."

"That's…good then, I guess," Miyagi answered, slightly raising one eyebrow. He didn't ask any further, though, instead he just proceeded with his task. Shinobu, who didn't really have anything to do in the kitchen anymore but didn't feel like leaving either, settled for leaning against the kitchen counter. He pretended to be busy with his phone, but in truth he just liked to watch Miyagi when he was like this: relaxed, at home, where he didn't have to put up any fronts, whether it was the laughing face he always showed Kamijou or his professional mask. Here, he could be the only thing he ever should be: himself.

As Shinobu's eyes followed his lover's fluid movements, the curve of his back when he scooped down to put a pan in the cupboard where it belonged, the way his pants and shirt complemented his figure (and God, did Shinobu love those clothes Miyagi always wore to his job. Shirts and ties where incredibly sexy on him), he recalled another part of his earlier phone call. More precisely, his own words.

_After all, we'd like to _enjoy _our evening as well._

Suddenly, he became hyper aware of Miyagi's presence. It was ridiculous, really – they lived together! – but he couldn't shake the feeling off. His heart started beating faster, his breathing became a little shallow and all he could see was Miyagi, _his_ Miyagi, who was now standing at the kitchen counter, humming softly, a small yet content smile on his face.

Within a few seconds, Shinobu was standing in front of the older man, turned him so that they were facing each other and started kissing him like there was no tomorrow.

Miyagi stiffened in surprise at first, but then Shinobu felt strong arms wrap themselves around him, and before he knew it his lover was kissing him back, opening his mouth to give Shinobu access and in turn invading his mouth as well, licking and sucking and nipping until Shinobu felt his knees grow weak. Apparently, Miyagi had noticed this as well, because his grip on Shinobu suddenly increased and without letting their lips break contact for even a moment, he lifted him up and gently put him on the kitchen counter.

This time, Shinobu was the one who was surprised, but he quickly recovered, wrapping his legs around Miyagi and pulling him even closer, which earned him a low growl from his lover. This, of course, didn't leave Shinobu unaffected, and their kiss soon turned deeper, more heated, tongues intertwining and hands touching, searching, gripping.

It was weird, Shinobu noticed somewhere in the hazy mess that his thoughts were at the moment, being the taller one. Since he was sitting so high, he had to lean down a bit, and that in itself was a whole new sensation. He realized that this must be what kissing usually felt like for Miyagi, and he wondered if this new situation was as strange for the older man as it was for him.

Not that it was unwelcome, though. Not at all.

_Actually, we should do this more often…From this height, I've got better access to some parts of Miyagi. For example…_

Smirking slightly, he broke away from their kiss, sitting upright and then leaning down again to softly bite the top of his lover's ear. This erupted another growl, and soon Shinobu felt the hands which had been stroking his back wander lower and tug on the hem of his T-shirt, asking a silent question. Almost immediately, he complied, throwing his hands in the air and letting Miyagi pull the article of clothing over his head, which was then carelessly thrown on the floor. He shivered a bit at the sudden chill, but soon the word 'cold' didn't even exist to him anymore, as his lover's hands traveled all over his chest, exploring every inch of skin and leaving a trail of tingling sensations behind.

"Mi-miyagi…" Shinobu breathed when the man moved his mouth towards his chest, and he closed his eyes in bliss when he felt his lover's tongue dart out to lick his nipple, then start to make slow, circular movements around it. His eyes shot open at once, though, when Miyagi suddenly bit it.

"Wh-what'd you do that for?!" he exclaimed, cheeks quickly coloring. Shinobu's blush only became deeper when his lover's eyes, which were dark with lust and warm with love at the same time, were firmly fixed on him. Then the man smirked at him and, voice low and husky, answered: "Payback."

Not expecting that answer, Shinobu could only gape at him for a moment, and Miyagi took advantage of that by closing the current gap between them and swooping him up in another kiss.

When they finally broke apart – because, unfortunately, sometimes a person just really needed to take a breath – Miyagi smiled at him, a real smile this time, and said: "You know, we really should do this more often."

Shinobu, still breathing heavily, raised an eyebrow at him.

"What, me spoiling you or making out on the kitchen counter?"

Miyagi laughed and reached out to ruffle his hair.

"Actually, I meant spending some quality time together."

Then, looking quasi-thoughtful, he added: "Though I have to say, those other two options are very tempting as well."

Shinobu made a move to hit him on the head, but Miyagi dodged his arm, laughing again.

"Aw, come on Shinobu-chin, you enjoyed it as well."

Cheeks blazing and trying very hard to ignore the fact that his heart had skipped a beat at the pet name, Shinobu scowled at him.

"If you think I'm going to prepare such an elaborate dinner for you every day from now on, you're very mistaken."

"I wasn't talking about that part, Shinobu-chin."

Miyagi's gaze was so intense that Shinobu almost unconsciously looked away, his heartbeat picking up speed again.

"But what I actually wanted to say…well, ask," Miyagi continued, voice suddenly serious, "was that maybe we should go out again soon…The last time we went shopping and had dinner after that, and while I certainly enjoyed it, it's not the most…r-romantic thing to do on a date, so…"

During his little speech, Shinobu had slowly turned his head towards his lover again and was now staring at him with wide eyes.

_Romantic…He actually said that…_

Of course, he hadn't missed the little stutter, but that actually made it even better…Even…

…_cuter…Well, I certainly didn't expect there'd ever be a day when I'd think of Miyagi as _cute_…_

He smiled to himself, before realizing that his lover was still waiting for an answer. Trying to fight the blush that was rising to his cheeks again he asked: "So…?"

_Now I want to hear him ask it properly as well…_

"Would you…like to go on a date with me this weekend? A real one? I was thinking dinner, of course, and maybe we could go for a walk after that…but before dinner…I don't know, is there something you'd like to do?"

There was no helping it, Shinobu just _knew_ his whole face was on fire right now.

_A walk after dinner? I don't think we've ever done that before…That's so…romantic._

Snapping himself out of it before his head would really explode, Shinobu tried to focus on what else they could do. He thought for a moment, then answered: "Well…I haven't been to a musical in a while, maybe we could see if there's a good one at the moment…If-If you'd like that, of course," he mumbled, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

Miyagi stared at him for a moment, which only increased his discomfort. Then he smiled.

"I never knew you liked musicals…It suits you, though," he answered, sending Shinobu a soft look that made some unknown entity in his stomach flutter.

"And yes, I'd like that. So…shall we go sometime this weekend?"

Shinobu nodded and they smiled softly at each other, eyes locking and holding each other's gaze. When they finally broke eye contact and Shinobu's brain could function properly again, he realized that, after all of the disaster that the evening had started out with, things had certainly taken a turn for the better. He let out a deep, content sigh and leaned back against one of the cupboards, closing his eyes for a moment.

A really short moment, because soon he could feel Miyagi's gaze on him and he suddenly became hyper aware of the fact that he was still very much shirtless, and that his lover was still very close to him.

"Shinobu…" Miyagi breathed, and his eyes were so full of love that Shinobu almost couldn't take it. The older man moved in closer, and just like that they were kissing again, hungrily yet lovingly, a perfect combination of rough and caring. Shinobu tangled his hands in Miyagi's hair and wrapped his legs around him again, pulling him close. Almost immediately, he was lifted up again, his lover's hands moving to his backside, squeezing lightly, before sliding around his waist, holding him firmly in place. Then he started to move towards what could only be their bedroom, not leaving Shinobu's mouth unoccupied for even a moment.

He didn't know how they – or actually, Miyagi – made it, but eventually Shinobu found himself being thrown on the bed and watching how his lover quickly disposed of his shirt. A voice somewhere in his hazy brain told him that _he_ wanted to be the one to take that shirt of, but he was already too late, and plus, just looking at his lover like this was actually really nice as well.

Then Miyagi was leaning over him, his body heath washing over Shinobu, and he reached out for the older man to pull him in for yet another kiss. Miyagi's hands travelled towards his trousers and Shinobu shivered at the feeling of the man's fingers on the bare, sensitive skin of his hips.

"Mi-miyagi…"

For the second time that evening, Shinobu's mind wandered to the words he'd spoken to Usami-san on the phone, and a small smile found its way onto his face. Miyagi noticed and stopped caressing his hips for a moment, looking at him questioningly.

"Shinobu-chin? What's…"

Shinobu felt his cheeks grow warm. He hesitated for a moment, then answered: "Ah, well…earlier on the phone, I said something to Usami-san, and I just had to think about that, is all…"

Knowing just as well as Shinobu that this wasn't the complete story, Miyagi raised an eyebrow at him and waited for him to continue. Face really burning now and averting his gaze, Shinobu mumbled: " …I told him we'd…enjoy our evening."

Miyagi's eyes widened in surprise, and Shinobu could have sworn he saw the man's cheeks become the faintest hint of pink. Then he leaned forward, until his lips were against Shinobu's ear, and as he whispered his reply, the promise in his words sent a shiver down Shinobu's spine.

"In that case, we'd better make sure we do."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: And that was it for this time! I'll leave the rest up to your imaginations ;D **

**I'd wanted to put another Romantica scene into it, actually (more fluff, yeah! But don't worry, there will be some more of a plot later ;D) but I'm not going to make it right now, so that will have to wait for the next chapter. **

**As always, please let me know what you think, and I hope to see you next time! :D**


	18. Happiness and hopeless lovers

**A/N: Hello! I'm back :D I'm really, very honestly sorry about not updating for such a long time. As you might know, I just started my new studies, and it's taking me a little longer to adjust than I would have liked. I've been pretty stressed out because of it and that didn't really help the writing process. It seems things are getting better now, so I hope I'll be able to update more often again from now on. I can't promise anything, unfortunately, but I hope you'll bear with me.**

**On a completely other note: are there people here who like Harry Potter next gen fics? There's this wonderful time travel story in which the next generation travels back to the past – and it's got ScorpiusXAlbus. :D It was really good, but unfortunately, the author stopped writing it. However, she's looking for someone to take over her story. I'd love to, but as you can see, this story is pretty much taking up all of my writing time already xD So, my question: are there any people here who are interested? The author's pen name is VioletBlueEyes and the story is called 'It's a conundrum!' If you're interested, it's best to PM her, since she's already removed the story from here. I've put a synopsis at the end of this chapter as well. If someone decides to continue it, please let me know. I'd love to read it! **

**And while I'm already off topic: have you seen Emma Watson's speech at the UN about feminism? It. Was. Amazing. If you have the time, you should definitely check it out. Especially if you've got a negative feeling about feminism – this will change your mind. It converted my father as well ;D**

**Okay, on to the reviews!**

**Bajusz: Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm sorry to say that there's no egoist in this chapter, but they'll definitely be back next time! I'm looking forward to writing the dinner as well, but there are some other things that need to happen first. I'll try not to let you wait too long, though! ;) **

**I felt like that too while reading the manga, I was like: come on, Misaki, just tell him you love him already! So I decided that would become a topic in this story ^^**

**You're welcome! :) I hadn't even thought about it that much, but the physical contact is indeed important to them. I completely agree with your thoughts on them :D**

**Thank you very much for another wonderful review! Kisses back! :)**

**OMG: Why thank you! :D Well… I'm guessing you're 'anonymous', since I'm missing their review this chapter…but please don't shoot me if I'm wrong (*hides under table*). Anyway, thanks a lot for reviewing :D See you soon! ^^**

**And now on to the story! I hope you'll enjoy it, please let me know what you think! And thank you all so much for favoriting/following/reviewing, it really means a lot! :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Junjou Romantica.**

* * *

><p><em>Thursday<em>

Misaki was woken up by the light streaming into the room, momentarily blinding him as he tried to open his still heavy eyes. Blinking a couple of times, he made a move to sit up and look at the time, only to realize that something was holding him down. Something that was warm…and heavy…

He jolted upright the moment he realized where he was, Usagi-san's arm falling down on the bed. It wasn't that it was weird or even unusual anymore to wake up in the novelist's bedroom. In fact, it had become a regular thing quite a while ago already. This time, however, it brought back some memories…memories that made Misaki's cheeks burn.

'_Usagi-san, I – I love you.'_

O crap, he'd really said that, hadn't he? His heart started beating louder and he almost got into panic mode again, like he would have done…well, like he would have done any day before yesterday.

_But not now. It wouldn't be fair towards Usagi-san…and not towards myself either._

He turned his gaze to the man lying next to him – '_my lover', _he told himself, trying to get the used to the word – who still appeared to be in a deep sleep. He always looked so peaceful like this, and so much younger. Gone where his cocky smirk and the annoyed face he usually put up, leaving only this innocent looking man.

Misaki almost snorted out loud.

_Yeah right. As if Usagi-san is innocent…he's way too perverted for that._

The thought brought him back to last night's activities, and before he knew it, Misaki's face was bright red again.

Deciding it was about time he started to get ready for school – a quick glance at the clock told him it was 8.47 – he climbed out of the bed, trying not to wake Usagi-san as he did so.

It didn't work.

"Misaki?" the novelist asked, voice still groggy from sleep.

"Y-yes?"

"Come back…to bed."

Blushing a little, Misaki shook his head, although he doubted Usagi-san noticed it.

"I can't, I really have to get ready for school."

His lover sat upright and rubbed his eyes.

"What time do your lectures start today?"

"Half past ten."

"Then there's plenty of time left. Come on, before I drag – "

Usagi-san suddenly stopped talking and started staring at Misaki instead, his mouth slightly opened.

It was then that Misaki realized that he was very, _very _naked.

_Crap._

He could have sworn that not only his face, but his whole body was burning with embarrassment as he frantically searched for something to cover himself up with. Usagi-san, in the meantime, had gone from slightly shocked to downright amused, his eyes following Misaki's every movement, not bothering to help him in the least.

"Baka-Usagi," Misaki mumbled under his breath, as he wondered, not for the first time, why the older man always felt the need to throw his clothes through the whole room. Finally, he spotted his trousers next to the door, but before he got the chance to walk over there, a strong arm was wrapped around his waist and pulled him backwards, making him stumble and fall on the bed. When he looked up, Usagi-san was leaning over him, smirking.

"You didn't seriously think I would let you go…especially when you're looking like _that_?"

"B-baka," Misaki spluttered. He didn't resist, though, when Usagi-san closed the remaining distance between them and kissed his lips, briefly licking them before leaning back again. Then the novelist – very deliberately – looked Misaki over, smirking slightly as he did so.

"Now, let's see – where shall we start?"

Misaki shot up immediately, pulling the sheets with him to cover himself up.

"N-no way!"

Usagi-san raised an eyebrow at him.

"What's that? You seemed quite willing yesterday, if I remember correctly."

He tried to hide his blazing cheeks by turning his head away before answering: "Well, yeah, that was yesterday. In the evening! There's no way I'm going to…to do _that_ at nine in the morning!"

Truthfully, it wouldn't be the first time Usagi-san started something at this hour, but…

_We've never actually…gone all the way during those times._

And by the looks of it, that was exactly what his lover was planning to do.

Ignoring his sounds of protest, Usagi-san moved closer to Misaki, and it wasn't long before the latter felt cold, familiar hands on his chest, stroking the sensitive skin before rapidly moving lower.

"U-usagi-san!"

With some effort, Misaki managed to push the man off of him. When he turned around to face his lover, Usagi-san was looking at him with an expression on his face that was a mixture between surprise and…

…_hurt?_

A sharp pang of pain shot through Misaki's heart. The last thing he wanted to do was to hurt Usagi-san.

"I-I'm sorry," he mumbled, averting his gaze. When it stayed silent, he looked up again, green eyes meeting lilac ones. They just stared at each other for a moment, until Usagi-san suddenly smiled at him.

"No,_ I'm_ sorry. I guess I just got a bit…carried away because of yesterday. Please don't worry about it."

His smile didn't reach his eyes, though, and Misaki could hear the sadness in his voice.

_Crap. I really _did_ hurt him…_

"I-it's just," he started hastily, not sure what he was going to say, only knowing that he didn't want to see Usagi-san like this, "I was serious just now. I really don't like doing that kind of thing in the morning…"

_Plus my hips are killing me already…_

"B-but," he continued, as the look in Usagi-san's eyes didn't disappear, "I meant what I said…y-yesterday, I mean."

_I do. I really, really do._

His lover's eyes widened, and to Misaki's relief, the sadness was quickly replaced with surprise. It only lasted for a moment, though, and before he knew it, Usagi-san was leaning over him again, trademark smirk firm in place.

"Oh, is that so? Can you say it again, then?"

The older man bowed down even further, so that their noses were almost touching, and Misaki's heart skipped a beat at the sudden proximity.

"Well, t-that's," he stuttered, feeling a blush spread over his face, "I-I'm not sure…"

'…_if I can'_, he wanted to say, but then he realized he was doing exactly what he'd promised himself he wouldn't do anymore.

_I guess changing habits is indeed as hard as they say…_

Still, he'd try. He would do it for…for his lover.

"I-I loveyouUsagi-san."

He threw the words out hastily, almost in one breath. Then he forced himself to calm down, took a few deep breaths and repeated the sentence, more slowly this time.

"I love you," he said, lifting his head a bit to look his lover straight in the eyes, "I really do."

Once again, he was rewarded with that look of Usagi-san's that he loved so much, that expression were the older man would smile, a real smile, and his eyes would lit up and become so warm that Misaki felt like he was going to melt under his gaze.

Suddenly, the novelist pulled him up, so that he was sitting in front of him. Then, before Misaki could do so much as blink, strong arms were wrapped around him and his face was buried against Usagi-san's shoulder. He took a deep breath, partly to try to calm his heart, that was beating very loudly, but also to enjoy the smell of soap and cigarettes that hung around his lover, combined with the scent of…well, of Usagi-san. It was a smell that since long always made him feel safe and sound, and he loved it.

"Thank you, Misaki," his lover whispered into his ear. He sounded different from usual, and only when he pulled away from the hug a bit, did Misaki find out why.

Usagi-san's eyes were moist, and when their eyes met, a single tear slid down his face. Misaki could only stare at his lover for a moment, completely caught by surprise.

Usagi-san never cried.

_Wait…that's not true. I've seen him cry…that day when Nii-chan had announced his engagement…and when we…_

Memories came flooding back to him: his own tears, the way Usagi-san had looked at him, his smile, and then all of a sudden, the novelist's lips on his own, marking the start of their relationship.

_It's been so long..._

He brought his attention back to the present and to his astonishment, his lover was really crying now, silent tears streaming down his cheeks.

Before he realized what he was doing, Misaki found himself reaching out for the other man, fingers softly touching his face, stroking away the tears. Their eyes locked again and he could feel his heart skipping a beat from the intensity with which his lover looked at him. When Usagi-san's gaze became almost unbearable, Misaki started to draw back, only to be stopped by a cold hand on top of his own, holding it pressed against Usagi-san's cheek.

"Misaki," his lover whispered, voice a bit hoarse, "I…Thank you. I'm so happy….For a moment, I was afraid it'd been some spur of the moment thing…I'm so glad you said it again. Thank you…Thank you so much."

He smiled at him through his tears, and it was lovely and heart-breaking and beautiful all at once, melting Misaki's heart.

_I'm so lucky to have him…_

"I love you, Misaki. I honestly love you with all my heart."

…_so very, very lucky…_

He just _knew_ his whole face was on fire once again, and suddenly he found his own eyes becoming moist as well.

_I love you too, Usagi-san…but I don't think I can say it _again_…_

"I-" he started, but his lover just smiled at him.

"It's fine, Misaki. I know."

The tears really started flooding now, making his vision all blurry, but he could still see Usagi-san's smile broaden.

"We're pretty hopeless, aren't we?" the novelist chuckled.

Misaki tried to smile back, but the tears wouldn't let him.

"It's not funny…" he sniffed, attempting to dry his eyes with his hands, "You know that once I start crying I can't st-"

He didn't get the chance to finish his sentence, though. Suddenly, Usagi-san's lips were on his, and it was just like their first kiss, but even better, and Misaki never ever wanted it to end. He'd dropped his arm when the other man had moved towards him and now his hands were gripping the sheets, desperately trying to hold on to something, because it felt like his body wouldn't be able to support him anymore.

Usagi-san lightly placed one hand on top of his, before turning it around and intertwining their fingers, squeezing softly. His other hand found its way into Misaki's hair, fingers drawing lazy circles as he deepened their kiss. It was sweet and slow and filled Misaki with a wonderful warmth, which didn't leave his body even after they'd broken apart.

Still breathing heavily, Usagi-san smiled at him again. Then he let his hand slide out of Misaki's hair, cupping his face instead, and used his thumb to stroke away some tears.

"Misaki…you're so beautiful," he whispered in that low, deep voice that made shivers run up and down Misaki's spine.

"Ah-I…that's…that's not – "

"Of course it's true. I wouldn't say it if it weren't."

His lover sent another smile his way, before leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss against his forehead.

"You're really, truly beautiful…Misaki."

Burning bright red and feeling like his head was going to explode any minute now, Misaki quickly looked away, gaze landing on the clock.

"Ah, eh, look at the time! I really should go make us some b-breakfast now…"

This time, Usagi-san didn't protest when he climbed out of the bed and hurried towards his clothes, quickly putting them on. When he was fully dressed, Misaki turned around to face his lover, who was still sitting in the same place, looking as handsome as ever, his silver-coloured hair illuminated by the early morning light.

"I-I'll see you downstairs," he mumbled, cheeks flaring up again. He turned around swiftly and almost ran down the stairs, but not before catching the little chuckle and the words that accompanied it.

"Misaki…you're so cute."

* * *

><p>Miyagi woke up to the sound of his alarm ringing. Groaning, eyes still mostly closed, he reached out for it and hit the snooze button. He really didn't feel like getting up already.<p>

_Five more minutes…_

He turned around, intending to thoroughly enjoy the few minutes he had left, but stopped in his tracks when he collided with something warm lying next to him.

His eyes flew open immediately.

_Shinobu?_

He definitely hadn't expected to see his lover still in bed. It was Thursday, which meant they both had to leave fairly early, and Shinobu usually was the first one to get up.

_To make us breakfast…_

The thought made Miyagi feel slightly guilty. Shinobu insisted he made it, though, and Miyagi let him, since he'd never really liked cooking anyway. He smiled as he remembered the first time the boy had cooked for him – he'd seriously been afraid that Shinobu would burn down his house.

Snickering softly, he shifted his gaze to his lover's face, which was turned towards him. Shinobu looked positively adorable, with his hair falling into his face and his soft, pink lips slightly parted. Not being able to resist, Miyagi reached out and stroked a few locks back, fingers lingering on the boy's skin a little longer than necessary.

Shinobu stirred at the touch and while his eyes fluttered open, Miyagi quickly withdrew his hand.

"…Miyagi?"

He smiled at his lover, trying not to feel like he'd just been caught doing something forbidden.

_You're in a relationship with him, damn it! You're allowed to touch him._

"Good morning, Shinobu-chin."

Suddenly, the boy frowned and then his eyes widened almost comically.

"What time is it?" he asked, sounding rushed.

Miyagi threw a look at the alarm clock.

"Uh… 7.39."

"Crap…" Shinobu mumbled, quickly pushing himself upright and to the other end of the bed, where he let himself slide off of it. Miyagi tried not to stare too much at his lover's naked form as he stood and started searching for his clothes.

Not looking, however, turned out to be pretty much impossible.

Giving up his mental struggle, he let his eyes roam over Shinobu, admiring his slender frame, the long, pale legs, the love bites that were visible at random places on his body…

Miyagi couldn't help but smile as he remembered how he'd placed them there. Last night had been particularly good, especially since Shinobu had started to initiate more and more often. True, Miyagi had to get used to being a bit less dominant – it felt still kind of weird to have his lover taking the lead every now and then – but he also had to admit that he liked this new, even more enthusiastic Shinobu.

It was…exciting.

"Ouch! Damn it!"

His thoughts were interrupted by his lover, who had taken a few steps away from the bed and looked like his legs would give out underneath him any moment now.

…_Well, it _was _quite a rough night, especially for him…_

Suddenly feeling even guiltier, Miyagi made a decision. He pushed the covers off and stepped out of bed, scanning the floor for his clothes. He found them and quickly put on his boxers and trousers, before throwing his shirt towards Shinobu.

"Here, put this on."

His lover caught the article of clothing and stared at it for a moment. Then, slowly, he lifted his head to look at Miyagi.

"Do you…I-I can put it on?"

Frowning, Miyagi shrugged.

"Yeah, sure."

Shinobu blushed, a pretty shade of red that started on his nose before spreading to his cheeks. Although he definitely appreciated it – a blushing Shinobu was almost always a good thing– Miyagi didn't quite understand what it was that had his lover flustered. It was only when the boy had somewhat awkwardly thrown the shirt over his head and pulled it down that he got it.

_Oh._

Again, Miyagi tried not to stare – and failed.

The shirt was too big on Shinobu, of course, so it hung around him loosely, reaching about halfway down his upper thighs so that it covered his nakedness – but just barely. There was something really exciting about seeing his lover dressed like that, and Miyagi very strongly felt like dragging Shinobu back to bed and having a recurrence of last night.

_No, Miyagi, you can't! Work, remember? Work, work, lots of work…_

Snapping himself out of it, he took an old T-shirt from his drawer and put it on before walking over to his lover.

"M-miyagi?' Shinobu asked as he got closer. "What are you…?"

Miyagi stopped in front of the boy and after giving him a soft smile, he reached out and pulled him into a hug.

Shinobu stiffened at first, but then he relaxed, and soon Miyagi felt a pair of familiar hands clinging to the back of his T-shirt.

"Shinobu…" he whispered in his lover's ear, "Go back to bed. I'll make you breakfast today."

Shinobu pulled back from the embrace a bit and looked at him with wide eyes.

"But…"

He softly pushed the boy backwards.

"Just do it. You're clearly tired, and you always cook for me, so…"

Miyagi trailed off, suddenly feeling embarrassed. What were they, some sort of married couple?

_No…no, we're definitely not. Shinobu has given me so much more than marriage ever has…_

He averted his eyes, but that didn't stop him from noticing the broad smile that was slowly starting to spread on Shinobu's face. And although he'd never admit it – he was in his thirties, damn it, he definitely wasn't blushing over a university student! – Miyagi could feel his cheeks heating up just the slightest bit.

"W-well, I'll just…go make breakfast now," he said awkwardly, trying to disentangle himself from the embrace. Before he had the change to turn around to go downstairs, however, he found himself being pulled back, and before he could even process what was going on, a soft kiss was pressed to his lips.

Shinobu smiled at him before taking a few steps back and letting himself fall down on their bed.

"Thank you, Miyagi."

Another smile was sent his way, and it was so bright and beautiful and pure that it made his heart beat faster and caused some unknown entity to flutter around in his stomach.

"…You're welcome."

Miyagi gave his lover a weak smile before hastily spinning around and making his way to the kitchen, certain that his cheeks really _were _flushed this time.

_The things this guy does to me…_

* * *

><p>Akihiko was having the best day of his life.<p>

Well, he supposed there had been other days that had been wonderful as well. Looking at his time with Misaki, there was their first kiss, of course, and the time his lover had gotten angry at his brother for his sake, and the moment when he'd claimed Akihiko as his in front of that stupid Sumi… Then there was the time Misaki had tried to take some more initiative, and the times he'd tried to tell him that he loved him…

But the words had never come out like they had yesterday, almost effortlessly –

_No, wait, that's not true…It probably took him quite a lot of effort, but…_

This time, it had felt like Misaki had _wanted_ to say it. Like he really, honestly felt it. And with those words came the confirmation that Akihiko hadn't realized he'd needed this badly.

Of course, he'd always wanted his lover to be able to say it properly, the way he himself did so often. But when time passed and he noticed how hard Misaki tried, for his sake, he figured that would be enough. And he'd thought it was. After all, the boy was here and gave him all of his sweet, wonderful love – how could he possible ask for more? But when Misaki had spoken the three little words yesterday, twice even, he'd suddenly realized how much he'd been yearning to hear them.

"_Usagi-san, I – I love you."_

Akihiko could feel his cheeks heating up just the slightest bit at the memory.

"_M-me too. I…love you too, Usagi-san. Very much."_

His heart skipped a beat and he felt like hitting himself. What was he, some sort of schoolgirl?! He was in his thirties, damn it! His frustrations ebbed away, though, when he glanced over at Misaki, standing in the kitchen, making them breakfast with a soft smile on his face. He couldn't help his own lips from curling up as well as he watched his beautiful lover.

_If there's someone worth acting as a schoolgirl over, it's Misaki._

Still smiling, he aimlessly let his gaze wander through the room, until his eye fell on something that made his brows shot up.

_What's _ that_ doing here?_

"Misaki?" he called out, as he got up from the couch.

His lover turned his head, that adorable little smile still plastered on his face.

"What is it, Usagi-san?"

With a few long steps, he'd reached Misaki's bag, which had unceremoniously been dropped in a corner of the room, and picked up the item that had caught his attention.

"How did you get this?"

A look of comprehension dawned on Misaki as he looked at the scarf in Akihiko's hand.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Usagi-san, I completely forgot to give it to you – "

His lover blushed a bit for a moment. It wasn't hard to guess what he was thinking about, and despite the anxiousness that started to creep up on him, Akihiko couldn't help but tease the boy a bit.

"What, were you so dazzled by my amazing presence that it slipped your mind?" he smirked, enjoying the explosion of colour on Misaki's face.

"B-baka! It's your fault I forgot!" he huffed, but then he seemed to realize that he'd just confirmed the words, for his eyes promptly widened.

"Ah-no, I mean - !"

Akihiko had to stifle a laugh at the panicked expression on his lover's face.

_Honestly, he's too cute for his own good._

"It's okay, Misaki. Please tell me how you got it."

Suddenly feeling worried again, he waited for an answer. He hadn't noticed the absence of his scarf yet, but there were only two places he could have left it: at the bar, or at Ijuuin's apartment.

Almost unconsciously, he clenched his fists.

_Please let it be the bar…Please tell me you didn't go back to that man's house, Misaki…_

"W-well, you see," his lover started, a nervous laugh escaping his lips, "When I was having dinner with Todou-kun, I found out that I'd left my bag at…at I-Ijuuin-sensei's."

Akihiko's blood ran cold.

"You what?!"

Misaki cringed a little and averted his eyes, looking guilty.

Taking another few steps, Akihiko closed the distance between them and put his empty hand on the boy's shoulder, making him look up again.

"Misaki…please tell me you didn't go back to him."

_Please, Misaki…_

His lover's eyes widened and he held up his hands defensively, frantically waving them around.

"N-no, I didn't! Please don't worry about that, Usagi-san!"

Closing his eyes for a moment, Akihiko let out a relieved breath.

_Thank God…_

"Then how did you get your stuff back?" he asked, feeling like there was more to the story.

"Todou-kun picked it up for me," Misaki answered, and Akihiko made a mental note to never have a bad thought about the guy again.

_Misaki clearly made a good friend this time._

"He said it wouldn't be good for Ijuuin-sensei to see me again this soon, so he went alone, while I waited for him in some bar at the beginning of the street. That's where I found your scarf, Usagi-san."

Normally, Akihiko would have freaked out at the thought of his adorable little lover being all alone in a bar late in the evening, but he had to admit that Misaki had probably been safer there than in the vicinity of _that_ man.

Misaki had paused and was now looking downwards, fingers playing with the hem of his T-shirt. When he spoke up again, he sounded hesitant.

"U-usagi-san?"

Akihiko raised an eyebrow at him.

_Why is he acting so nervously?_

"What is it, Misaki?"

For some reason, a faint blush was becoming visible on the younger man's face.

"I-I was wondering…Why were you there?"

Both Akihiko's eyebrows shot up now. Given how Misaki was acting, he'd expected something…well, bigger, not a seemingly insignificant question like that. Unless….

…_Unless he's seeing right through me._

The thought brought a smile to his face. If there was someone who could read him well, it was his lover.

"I was having some drinks with Hiroki and Miyagi-san," he answered truthfully.

Misaki's eyes widened a bit.

"O-oh, okay…"

_Yes, he was definitely expecting something else…_

After a short moment of hesitation, he decided to be clear with his lover.

"However," he started, and brilliant green eyes quickly shifted towards his own, staring at him intently, "I also…wanted to be near Ijuuin-sensei's apartment. To keep an eye on you."

_I completely screwed that up, though…_

Akihiko narrowed his eyes as he remembered the state Misaki, _his _Misaki had been in when he'd come to pick him up. He felt his anger flaring up again and the only thing that kept him from going into a state of rage was the younger man's reaction.

Because while he immediately started complaining about how 'baka-Usagi' was 'ridiculously overprotective' and that he didn't need someone to babysit him, Misaki's body betrayed him by making the most adorable blush appear on his cheeks. On top of that, Akihiko noticed that the words missed the annoyance that they would have held a few months ago.

With a jolt, he realized that Misaki was _happy_ with his answer.

The thought made a huge grin appear on his face, and for the second time that evening, his heart skipped a beat.

While Misaki was still spluttering, Akihiko threw his arms around the boy and pulled him close, holding him against his chest. With a content sigh, he placed his head on top of Misaki's, but not before placing a soft kiss on it.

"I love you, Misaki," he mumbled, and that was enough to shut the boy up.

They stayed like that for a moment, locked in their embrace and in a comfortable silence, until Misaki spoke up again.

"Usagi-san…I really need to finish making breakfast now…"

Akihiko couldn't help himself. He bent down, so that his lips were on his lover's ear, and whispered: "I'd rather have _you_ for breakfast…"

He enjoyed the blush that rapidly spread over Misaki's face once again, and his grin grew even wider when his lover untangled himself from the embrace and hurried to their – probably burned – breakfast, all the while mumbling to himself about a certain novelist.

Akihiko laughed silently. No matter how much Misaki had grown into their relationship, some things would never change.

_And I wouldn't have it any other way._

* * *

><p>Shinobu just <em>knew<em> his face was beet red as he stared at the breakfast Miyagi had prepared for him.

He'd been very surprised at his lover's offer – or rather, his demand – to take over Shinobu's self-proclaimed task so that he could rest some more. Not only that, it had also filled him with a wonderful feeling of happiness, a warmth that started in his chest and slowly spread to the rest of his body, making him feel all bubbly and cosy. On one side it had been because he could use the rest – his hips hurt like _hell_ – but mostly, it had been because of Miyagi's unusually sweet action.

Not that his lover wasn't kind – he was, definitely. However, the older man seemed a bit…awkward when it came to situations like this.

_Actually, he's awkward about most romantic situations…_

Shinobu snorted to himself, but as true as that thought was, he had to admit that his lover had started to become better at it.

_After all, he even asked me out on a date last night…_

Suddenly realizing something, Shinobu looked up at Miyagi, who was sitting down across from him. Partly to break the slightly uncomfortable atmosphere and partly because it needed to be addressed, he started: "So, eh…about tomorrow night…"

The words were enough to grab Miyagi's attention immediately, his head snapping up to look at Shinobu.

"…Yes?"

"I, eh…I think I've found a musical that I'd like to see…It's called 'Wicked' and it seems to be really good, so..."

Miyagi smiled at him.

"Shall we go to that one, then?"

Shinobu nodded before adding: "If you don't mind, that is."

His lover shook his head in response.

"No, it's fine by me. I'm sure you know a lot more musicals than me."

"I don't go to _that_ many musicals."

For some reason, a little smile appeared on Miyagi's face.

"Oh? Which ones have you seen, then?"

"_The Lion King, Tarzan, The wizard of Oz, Mary Poppins_, _Les Miserables, Sister act – _"

His lover held up a hand, slightly smirking.

"Okay, I've heard enough. It's just as I thought," he said, grinning at Shinobu. "Really, here I am, almost twice your age, and you've still seen at least three times as many musicals as me."

Shinobu knew Miyagi was just teasing him, and normally he'd throw something back at him – like how it was even stranger that the man had only seen two musicals in his life. This time, however, he found himself stiffen at the words, and for a moment he just sat there, staring at his lover, Miyagi's voice resonating through his mind.

…_almost twice your age…_

Shinobu had to admit it stung a little, Miyagi bringing up their age difference so many times. It wasn't that he didn't want to acknowledge the gap they had age-wise. He did, he really did, but he'd also long ago decided that it didn't matter to him. Still, he knew it was hard on Miyagi – hell, he knew himself that it could be difficult sometimes, and that it would most likely always follow them around. He knew that, but still…

…_does he _have _to bring it up this often?_

"…Shinobu-chin? Are you alright?"

Quickly shaken out of his thoughts, Shinobu looked up in his lover's eyes, and the concern he found there made him almost feel guilty for thinking like this. Plus he found he couldn't be mad at the man, especially not since he'd been so sweet to him and had even made him breakfast.

"I'm fine. Don't worry so much, old man, you'll get even more grey hairs that way," he huffed, avoiding Miyagi's eyes.

Then he promptly felt like hitting himself.

_Crap…I'm doing exactly the same, aren't I?_

"Shinobu?"

Miyagi reached over the table, covering Shinobu's hand with his larger one. The gesture was a bit hesitant, but it conceived the message perfectly.

"You…You know you can tell me anything, right?"

His lover's gaze was so sincere, so open, that Shinobu found his resolve crumbling. Averting his eyes, cheeks heating up just the slightest bit, he gave in.

"It's nothing major…I just – I just don't like you bringing up our age difference every time."

Miyagi's grip on his hand tightened, and Shinobu held up his other hand to stop him from saying - or thinking – whatever it was that was going on in his mind right now.

"I realized I also do it all the time, so just forget about it, okay?"

"Shinobu…"

There was that look again. Somewhere along the way, Shinobu's eyes had shifted back to his lover's face, and now he was regretting it. Miyagi's intense stare made him feel so many strong emotions at once that it felt like he was melting, burning up inside. He honestly didn't know how long he'd be able to take it, but despite that thought, he just couldn't tear his eyes away.

Miyagi's fingers started stroking the back of his hand before – again, a little hesitantly – turning it around and tracing patterns on his palm, making a light shiver pass through Shinobu.

"I'm sorry, Shinobu…I didn't mean anything with it, but I'll try not to mention it so much, okay?"

Face burning scarlet by now, Shinobu drew his hand back, scowling.

"I told you it's fine, didn't I? Now let's eat before it gets cold."

Miyagi looked a little surprised but said nothing, leaning back instead. His eyes were still focused on Shinobu, though. After a quick 'Itadakimasu', they started eating in silence. While his beating heart calmed down, Shinobu tried to focus on enjoying his breakfast. He had to admit, Miyagi's cooking wasn't half bad. While chewing, he let his gaze wander around – mostly to avoid his lover's gaze, which he felt burning on his skin – until his eyes landed on the pack of cigarettes and the lighter that were lying on Miyagi's side of the table. Suddenly, he was reminded of a certain conversation he'd had with Takahashi-kun.

The memory brought a smile to his face, and he decided he'd have to contact his new friend again soon. Now, however, something else needed his attention.

"Miyagi?"

The older man looked at him questioningly, eyes still holding a glint of worry.

"Takahashi-kun and I were thinking, and we agreed that you and Usami-san really need to stop smoking."

Miyagi raised an eyebrow, the worried look quickly disappearing.

"That again? I know what you mean, Shinobu-chin, but…it's really hard to quit, especially when you've been smoking for a long time."

"I know that…but let's say, hypothetically speaking, that you had to choose between not smoking or not having sex…which one would you choose then?"

Shinobu almost laughed out loud at the look on his lover's face: mouth slightly opened and eyes wide as he realized just what it was that Shinobu was saying.

"That's…Shinobu, you – you can't be serious…"

"Oh, but I am," he smirked, knowing he had the other man exactly where he wanted him. "The deal starts today, so you'd better hurry up."

Miyagi's eyes widened even further.

"B-but…"

"No buts, old man," Shinobu said with another smirk. It vanished from his face, though, when he heard Miyagi's next words.

"…Then what about tomorrow?"

_Crap. I'd completely forgotten about that…_

A sharp jolt of disappointment went through him at the thought of not being able to end a hopefully perfect date with some action in the bedroom – which promptly turned his face a few shades darker.

"That's…"

This time, it was Miyagi's turn to smirk a little, although his face quickly turned back to its earlier expression when Shinobu, still flustered, announced gruffly:

"…Fine. It's starting Saturday – so you'd better make a plan already, old man."

Miyagi looked like he wanted to say something back – to protest, probably – but then he closed his mouth, pouting at him instead.

"That's not fair, Shinobu-chin!" he whined, using the same tone he also used on Kamijou, but his eyes betrayed the sincerity behind his childish behaviour. Shinobu almost gave in to that look, but he knew he couldn't.

_I'm doing this for Miyagi's sake, after all…I really just want him to be healthy._

"Just be a man and suck it up, old man," he grumbled, turning back to his breakfast. Before he could take another bite, though, Miyagi had grasped his wrist, startling him, his chopsticks falling from his hand and landing on the floor.

Shinobu didn't pay them any attention, though, because his lover was staring at him again, that intense look back in his eyes, and for a moment the rest of the world simply disappeared.

"…Okay, I'll try to stop smoking," Miyagi said softly, after they'd been looking at each other for a while. Happiness rose in Shinobu's chest for a moment, before his attention was shifted back to his lover again, who was now leaning over the table, his face mere centimetres from Shinobu's.

His breath hitched in his throat at the sudden proximity.

"But," the older man continued, his breath grazing Shinobu's face, " in that case, we'd better make sure to enjoy tomorrow night…"

Wide-eyed, Shinobu stared at his lover's sudden blunt words, his face rapidly turning red – again. Despite his embarrassment, he found himself unconsciously leaning closer to the other man, and before he realized what he was doing, he'd closed the gap between them and pressed his lips to Miyagi's in a chaste but sweet kiss.

When they broke apart, they just looked at each other for a moment, before Shinobu mumbled, looking away a bit: "…I'm keeping you to that promise, old man."

Miyagi's eyes showed a flash of an emotion that Shinobu couldn't quite place, before they took on a teasing glint.

"Oi, I thought we'd agreed we wouldn't bring up the age difference thing anymore?"

Shinobu felt the corners of his mouth turn up.

"Nope, _you _wouldn't bring it up, old man."

"Aw, Shinobu, you're hurting my feelings!"

"Yeah, right."

"I'm serious!"

"Stop whining, old man!"

"Then don't be so cruel to me, Shinobu-_chin_," his lover responded with yet another pout. A grin was starting to break through on his face, though, and Shinobu found his own mask cracking as well. Before he knew it, they'd burst out laughing, faces still close, grinning at each other like idiots.

After a moment, they quieted down, but didn't take their eyes away from each other. Miyagi's face was becoming more serious again, his eyes now shining with another emotion than amusement, completely focused on Shinobu. Then, suddenly, his lover moved forward, capturing his lips.

For a brief moment, Shinobu wondered if the position wasn't incredibly uncomfortable – after all, Miyagi was still leaning over the table. Seeing as the other man didn't seem to mind, though, the thought quickly left his mind, especially when he felt Miyagi's tongue press softly against his lips.

He complied and let himself get caught up in the moment, enjoying how it was just the two of them in their own happy bubble and smiling into the kiss as he thought about tomorrow night. He felt so happy right now that he was almost worried he would float away.

And when they pulled back for some air and Miyagi smiled that wonderful smile, looking at him with that burning, loving look in his eyes again, Shinobu realized, not for the first time, how incredible lucky he was.

_I'd be so happy if we could stay like this forever…So very, very happy…_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: …Actually, I've also only seen two musicals in my life…xD (Wicked and Sisteract, for the ones who are interested ;D).**

**This chapter felt like a filler to me, but there just were some things that needed to be cleared up before I could move on. I hope you still enjoyed it, though. Thank you for reading, and please let me know what you think! I'm feeling a little insecure about this chapter (maybe because I haven't updated in a while), so feedback is very much appreciated :D**

**Next chapter: A certain novelist insists on dropping a certain green-eyed boy off at school, Misaki and Todou talk about their respective nights and the egoist couple will make a comeback :D (It will also include a blushing Misaki, a jealous Todou and an over-excited Nowaki ;D). **

**(As always, this is a conditional preview, since my story still tends to lead a life of its own xD).**

**For the people interested in writing the fic I mentioned earlier (see A/N at the beginning of this chapter), here's a short synopsis.**

**Summary 'It's a conundrum!':  
>Rose Weasley snuck into Professor Flitwick's office and found a time- turner that hadn't been in the ministry when they were all destroyed. She had been seen with it by James Potter and the rest of the cousins, and it had been smashed by accident. They were transported back in time to Harry Potter's fifth year. Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy began a relationship a short while later, while under the pretense of being 'transfer students'.<br>They are happy in their relationship, however, everyone is doing whatever they can to go back to their time. Professor Umbridge is suspicious of the time travelers, and to find out what's going on, makes excuses to have each of them in for detention. Hugo Weasley coped it the worst. The other time travelers, who all adore Hugo, get angry and for a week prank her into oblivion. Umbridge lays off them for a while. Dumbledore finds a way to connect the two times together, with the parents of the time- travelers with the broken time turner in the same place as him. They end up trying to get back, but are accidentally transported into Harry's seventh year, when the school is being taken over by the Death Eaters.**

**(After this, a sequel was planned)**


	19. Teasing, texting and thinking twice

**A/N: Hi! Oh, it's so good to be back (again) :D I let you wait very long again and for that I'm really sorry. I'll try to keep it short, because you're here to read a story, not an author's note, but I feel like I owe you an explanation as to why it's taking me so long to update every time.**

**I'm still getting used to my studies (although it's getting better). The thing is that I'm a perfectionist and that I kind of have this fear of failing, which I never really noticed until now. I want to do well on my studies, write this fan fic, as well as put time into some other things (hobbies, trying to learn Japanese)…Because of that, I tend to push things on myself too much, which doesn't work, of course. I also tend to procrastinate a lot because of that fear, which of course isn't helping either. So right now, I'm trying to get out of the circle I'm stuck in, but it might take a while. I really hope, though, that I'll get back to updating more regularly soon, but I don't want to promise anything when I'm not sure if I can fulfil that promise.**

**So, that's my dramatic life story xD I really love my studies, though ^^ I want to thank you all very much for being patient with me, for supporting me and for helping me out on a personal level as well. You guys are awesome. Seriously. **

**Oh, and I reached 200 reviews! :D I'm so happy right now! Thank you thank you thank you!**

**Visitor: Thank you! I'm really glad to hear that :D**

**Also a quick message to the people that I'm PM'ing with: I'm really sorry for being so late with responding, but I gave writing this fic priority over answering PM's…sorry. I will get to it, though, and I'm really looking forward to talking to you again :D **

**Now on to the chapter! I hope you'll enjoy it, and please let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Junjou Romantica.**

* * *

><p>Nowaki was making breakfast while softly humming to himself, a content smile on his face. Yesterday evening had been quite eventful and he couldn't help but feel a surge of happiness rush through him every time he thought about what had happened.<p>

After all, Hiro-san, despite all of his nerves and worries, had worked up the courage to tell his parents about him. That fact alone would have been enough to have Nowaki smiling for days, but then Hiro-san's mother had even wanted to speak to him, which was something he'd never expected, but had made him incredibly happy.

Even now, his smile grew wider when he remembered their conversation.

_Heart beating louder than it had been in a while, Nowaki took over the phone from Hiro-san. He felt like he was somewhere on cloud nine – his lover had told his parents, which, for him, was basically a major declaration of his love, and now Nowaki would finally get to meet one of said parents! _

_Somewhere in the back of his mind, though, there was a lingering anxiety._

What if Kamijou-san doesn't like me? What if she thinks I'm not good enough for her son? What if -

_Taking a deep breath, he pushed the voices away and brought the phone to his ear._

"_Hello… Kusama Nowaki speaking."_

_He could only hope he didn't sound too hesitant._

How do you greet someone you've never met on the phone?

_It was silent for a moment, but then a voice spoke up._

"…_Hello, Kusama-kun. I'm Kamijou__ Chinatsu*. I__t's…It's nice to meet you."_

_Her voice surprised him. From the few stories he'd heard about Hiro-san's parents, it seemed like his lover's father was the 'calm and collected' type, meaning that Hiro-san must have gotten his more prominent personality traits (for example, his temper) from his mother. Because of this thought, Nowaki had more or less expected Kamijou __Chinatsu to sound like…well, like a female version of Hiro-san. Instead, though, she spoke calmly and politely, albeit a little hesitantly._

"_It's nice to meet you too, Kamijou-san," he replied._

_Another silence fell, an awkward one this time. Nowaki frantically searched his mind for something to say. Normally, he didn't have any trouble with making small talk, but this time was different._

_This time, he _really _wanted to make a good impression._

"_So, you and…" he started, just at the same time that Kamijou-san said: "So, Kusama-kun, you're…"_

_They immediately fell silent again, and Nowaki's heart started to beat faster. He took a few seconds to calm himself before speaking up again. _

"_Please go on, Kamijou-san."_

"_Ah…okay…Well, I heard you're a doctor…"_

_Thankful for the safe topic, Nowaki answered brightly: "Yes, that's right."_

"_That's quite impressive…It must be a tough job, though."_

"_Ah…Yes, I guess it is. But I really enjoy my work, so it's okay."_

_Another awkward pause. When he was certain Kamijou-san wasn't going to say any more, Nowaki decided to ask what he'd been meaning to earlier. _

"_Hiro-san told me that you and your husband are coming over this Friday. Is there anything in particular you'd like to eat?"_

"_Oh…no, not really. I'm – I'm sure anything you'll make will be fine, Kusama-kun."_

_Not wanting to let another silence break the conversation, Nowaki continued: "I was thinking about making Yakiniku**. Would that be okay for you?"_

_Despite his efforts, it was once again quiet on the other end of the line. This time, though, it only took a couple of seconds before Kamijou-san spoke up again, voice different from just a moment ago. _

"_That's Hiro-san's favourite, isn't it?"_

_Nowaki felt his eyes widen in surprise. _

"_Ah – yes, it is."_

_He immediately felt like hitting himself. Of course she knew what Hiro-san's favourite dish was! She was his mother, after all. _

_To his surprise, she continued, voice taking on a reminiscing __tone._

"_I used to make it for him whenever there was something special going on – when he'd won a swimming __competition or when he'd gotten a particularly good grade, or simply to celebrate the start of the summer holidays. And of course, he always _had_ to eat it on his birthday."_

_Nowaki could hear the smile in her voice and he found the corners of his mouth curl __up as well. _

"…_I can imagine that," he said, shooting an affectionate glance at his lover, who appeared to be too lost in thought to notice it. _

"…_It's really… considerate of you to make his favourite food, Kusama-kun."_

_Something sparked in Nowaki's chest at the approving words from Hiro-san's mother. Feeling a bit shy all of a sudden, he answered: "It's no problem, Kamijou-san. It makes Hiro-san happy, so I figured it was the least I could do –"_

_He cut himself off when he realized what he was about to say._

'…since he's been so anxious about this…'

_Kamijou-san was silent once again, and Nowaki felt like hitting himself when he realized that he'd just completely ruined the progress that they'd been making._

Crap…I didn't mean to make Kamijou-san uncomfortable…or feel bad.

"_I'm sorry, Kamijou-san," he added quickly, before he had the chance to change his mind, "I didn't mean…"_

"_No, of course not, Kusama-kun…Please don't worry about it," Hiro-san's mother interrupted him, her voice soft and earnest. "I'm just…"_

_She stopped for a moment, and Nowaki waited, wondering what she was going to say._

"_I'm just glad there's someone taking care of Hiroki."_

_Nowaki's eyes widened again and for a moment all he could do was sit there, completely stunned._

_He had definitely not seen that coming._

"_Ah – that's…It's no problem at all, Kamijou-san, I'm…I'm happy to take care of him."_

_And he was. There honestly wasn't any other place in the world he'd rather be than next to Hiro-san, supporting him the best he could and giving him as much love as possible._

"_I hope he's not too difficult to handle, though?"_

"_Ah – no, of course no – "_

_Kamijou-san interrupted him again, and Nowaki could have sworn he heard some amusement in her voice when she said: "There's no need to be polite about it, Kusama-kun. I know how difficult my son can be."_

"_Well…he is pretty stubborn, I suppose," Nowaki answered, allowing a smile to creep on his face. _

_On the other end of the line, Kamijou-san let out a chuckle._

"You suppose_? If that's the case, then you're truly a miracle worker, Kusama-kun. The Hiroki I know pushed himself to the limit by taking piano, swimming, kendo _and _calligraphy lessons, but he refused to drop any of them, even though he very often came home with red eyes. Of course, he was also way too stubborn to admit that he'd been crying."_

Wow…he never told me that he did so many things all at once…

_Nowaki shot another look at his lover and smiled._

He's way too modest…

_Suddenly realizing that Kamijou-san might be expecting an answer, he decided to voice his thoughts._

"_That sounds like Hiro-san indeed…He's never told me, though."_

"_Well, he is very modest…It's one of his few good traits."_

_Despite the choice of words, Nowaki could clearly hear the pride and affection in her voice. _

"_He definitely is," he added with a smile. _

_Yet another silence followed his words, but this time it didn't feel uncomfortable. Just when Nowaki was about to ask her if he should hand the phone back to Hiro-san, Kamijou-san spoke up again._

"_Well…I guess I'm just happy that he's found someone."_

_For the second time during their conversation, Nowaki felt something spark inside his chest. _

Is she…Is she approving of our relationship?

_Being together with a man had never been a big deal for Nowaki – after all, Hiro-san was the first person he'd really fallen in love with, and from the moment he'd seen the man, sitting on a park bench while crying his heart out, he'd just _known _that this was the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. So he'd never really cared what other people might think about them. In fact, if Hiro-san wasn't so opposed to it, Nowaki would gladly be a bit (or a lot) more lovey-dovey with him in public._

_Right now, however, it wasn't just 'other people'. This was Hiro-san's mother he was talking to, and getting her approval and hopefully also her husband's was something extremely important to him. _

_That's why her next words made his heart sink._

"_I have to say I'm not completely used to the idea, though, what with both of you being…well…"_

_She didn't need to finish the sentence for him._

"_But," Kamijou-san continued, "I suppose it's only fair I give you a chance…And you seem like a really nice person, Kusama-kun, so…"_

_Suddenly feeling a spark of hope, Nowaki allowed his smile to return to his face._

"_Thank you, Kamijou-san, the same counts for you. And…"_

_He hesitated, then added, desperately hoping he wouldn't make things worse: "…I understand that it's quite a surprise, but I can assure you that I honestly love your son."_

_During a few seconds, it was completely silent on the other end of the line, and for a moment Nowaki was afraid he'd really made her uncomfortable this time. After what felt like ages, Kamijou-san finally answered, and to his relief she sounded only slightly different from before._

"_That's…good to know. And thank you, Kusama-kun. I'm looking forward to meeting you Friday."_

"_You're welcome, Kamijou-san… And I'm looking forward to meeting you and your husband as well."_

_After saying their goodbyes, Nowaki turned to Hiro-san, who still looked like his mind was in some faraway place. _

He must have missed the conversation entirely...

_Nowaki was actually pretty glad he did – he could imagine how Hiro-san would have reacted if he'd heard Nowaki confess his feelings for him to his mother. _

I would have loved to see the look on his face, though…

"_Hiro-san?" _

_His lover looked up questioningly, still a little lost in his own thoughts, and he looked so adorable that Nowaki couldn't help himself. Before he knew it, he'd jumped the older man, hugging him tightly and letting his head rest on top of his. _

"_Hiro-san…I'm so happy. Thank you."_

_He pulled back a little to study Hiro-san's face, which had taken on a nice shade of red. Averting his eyes, his lover mumbled: "…Y-you're welcome…"_

"_It was very brave of you, too. You're really amazing, Hiro-san."_

_He couldn't help but grin when his lover's cheeks coloured even more. After lifting a hand to stroke a few strands of hair out of his face, he moved closer and put his lips on Hiro-san's. Despite his shyness, the other man responded almost immediately, allowing Nowaki to slide his tongue in and thoroughly explore his mouth. Even after so many years, kissing Hiro-san still felt amazing. His warm and soft lips on his, the arms that embraced him somewhat hesitantly in the beginning, but clung to him when they got deeper into the kiss, that delicious smell that always hang around him –_

"…What are you grinning about?"

Abruptly pulled out of his memories, Nowaki looked up, only to find himself face to face with the subject of his thoughts.

"Ah – Hiro-san! Good morning!"

He shot a huge grin at the older man, who almost immediately looked away.

"…morning," his lover mumbled, taking his usual seat at the table, which made Nowaki aware of the fact that he hadn't been able to set it yet. Turning his attention back to the breakfast-in-progress before him, he also noticed that he'd been so lost in thought that he was nowhere near finished yet.

_O crap! Now I'm going to have to make him wait!_

"Ah- I'm sorry, Hiro-san! I was kind of distracted and I didn't notice it was this late already, so –"

"It's fine," his lover interrupted him, holding up a hand. "I'm just early this morning, that's all."

"Eh?"

He couldn't help the little sound of surprise coming out of his mouth – Hiro-san was _never _early if it was Nowaki's turn to make breakfast. A quick glance to the side, however, told him that it was only half past seven.

_Half past seven?!_

"Are you okay, Hiro-san?"

He couldn't help but feel a bit worried. There had to be a reason his lover was up at this hour – voluntarily, that was.

Hiro-san's face turned into a scowl, although Nowaki could have sworn his cheeks were just a little bit darker than usual.

"…I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

His eyes were nearly bulging out of their sockets now.

"Because you're never up this early, Hiro-san! Ah – not that I'm complaining!" he added hastily, as his lover shot him a dark look. Of course he wasn't complaining. Quite the opposite: this meant that he actually got to spent some time with the other man during the morning, which was a rare occasion on a weekday.

Hiro-san huffed and averted his eyes again, before standing up and moving towards the fridge, pulling the carton of milk out of it. He took a few gulps before setting it down on the counter and turning towards Nowaki, still not quite facing him.

"I – " he started, and the hesitant tone of voice made Nowaki look at him in surprise.

_So there really is something going on…_

Face slowly turning red, his lover continued: "I just…figured it would be nice to eat breakfast together…"

Nowaki felt his eyes widen when the meaning of the words hit him.

_He got up this early on purpose…to spend time with me…_

Trying to supress the ridiculously large grin that threatened to break through on his face, Nowaki continued to stare at his lover, who in turn started blushing even harder.

"It's – You'd better not expect this every day from now on!"

No longer being able to hide his excitement, Nowaki allowed the grin to appear on his face, directing it at the other man.

"Yes, Hiro-san!"

His lover, who really was as red as a tomato now, turned around to put the milk back into the fridge, and Nowaki took the chance to sneak up on him and throw his arms around the man, earning him a startled sound.

"N-nowaki!"

"Yes, Hiro-san?" he asked innocently, letting his arms slide under his lover's to take hold of his waist, before pulling him into his chest.

"…What are you doing?"

Nowaki had a really hard time trying not to laugh out loud at Hiro-san's stubbornness.

"Giving you a good morning hug. Is that not allowed, Hiro-san?"

"That's…I – I suppose…"

A small chuckle escaped Nowaki's lips before he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his lover's neck.

_He's way too adorable…_

"Then…good morning, Hiro-san."

"…You already said that," the older man mumbled back, but Nowaki noticed the pretty blush that was creeping on his face again. He let out another chuckle and leaned forward, until his lips were almost touching his lover's ear.

"You're supposed to say it too, Hiro-san," he breathed softly, and he couldn't help but smile when he felt the man shiver a bit.

"B-baka…"

They stayed like that for a moment, Nowaki burying his face into his lover's hair, inhaling his scent and enjoying the feeling of having Hiro-san – _his_ Hiro-san – in his arms.

_God, I love him so much…_

Then the older man spoke up again, and the mumbled words made something in his stomach flutter.

"…Good morning, Nowaki."

Feeling another huge grin taking over his face, Nowaki spun his lover around. Before he even realized what he was doing, his lips were on Hiro-san's, moving softly at first, but becoming more passionate the moment he felt the other man respond to his touch. He wrapped his arms around his lover and pulled the man closer again, tangling his hands in soft auburn hair, before sliding his tongue over Hiro-san's bottom lip in a silent question.

His lover complied, albeit a bit hesitantly, and parted his lips, allowing Nowaki to let his tongue slide over Hiro-san's before slowly moving around to explore the rest of his mouth. Somewhere in the process he'd closed his eyes, and now all he could feel and smell was Hiro-san, Hiro-san, Hiro-san, like a mantra in his head. He probably shouldn't get this excited about kissing his lover-for-ten-years, but he just couldn't help it. Even though the man would never see it – let alone admit it – himself, he was just too adorable, getting flushed over something like a good morning hug and almost acting like it was the first time they were kissing.

Just as the thought had entered his head, though, Hiro-san's arms, that had at some point wrapped themselves around Nowaki, tightened their grip on him. Suddenly his lover was kissing him back full-force, lips clashing, tongues battling for dominance, hands gripping at each other in a desperate attempt to bring any space between them back to a minimum.

Just as soon as it had started it was over. Hiro-san pulled back and put a hand on Nowaki's chest, creating some distance between them. He was breathing heavily and Nowaki couldn't help but admire the sight: his flushed cheeks, swollen lips, eyes that were still a bit hazy…

"I…We should finish making breakfast," his lover pulled him out of his musings. Nowaki had to blink a couple of times before the words sank in. He felt a sharp pang of disappointment, but he knew the older man was right.

_If we don't stop here, Hiro-san's _never _going to make it to his work in time._

A mischievous grin spread over his face when a sudden thought hit him.

_That doesn't mean_ _I can't tease him a little, though…_

"I don't think that's necessary…I'm pretty sure I can live on Hiro-san for a day…"

No matter how many times he'd already seen it, Nowaki couldn't get enough of the sight of his lover's face becoming bright red in just a few seconds.

_He's really too cute for his own good…_

"B-baka! Don't say ridiculous things like that!"

"Well, I can't be sure about it, but…" he leaned forward, until his nose was almost touching Hiro-san's, "…I'd love to try it."

His lover widened his eyes before scowling and looking away.

"Ah well, I guess I'll just finish breakfast then."

With an exaggerated pout and a sigh, Nowaki turned around and moved back towards the kitchen counter, only to be stopped by a hand gripping his wrist.

"Wait…Nowaki…"

The man's voice was uncharacteristically hesitant and Nowaki quickly turned back around, looking at him questioningly.

"Yes, Hiro-san?"

"I…"

Hiro-san looked away again, his right hand coming up to scratch the back of his head somewhat awkwardly.

"I…wanted to thank you. For yesterday. For being…supportive, I mean."

Nowaki stared at him for a moment. He had not seen that coming. A bubbly feeling formed somewhere in his chest and slowly made its way through the rest of his body, leaving him feeling all happy and tingly.

"I-I mean it," Hiro-san hastily continued, maybe interpreting his silence the wrong way. "I'm…really happy that you were there the whole time, even talking to my mother, and…"

His voice dropped in volume and he turned his head away a little before he finished: "…I honestly don't think I could have done it without you."

For the second time that morning, Nowaki's body seemed to move on its own, lurching forward and enveloping his lover in a tight hug.

"You don't need to thank me, Hiro-san," he whispered, his face buried in the older man's hair. "I'm just really happy that I could help you…and that I can meet your parents now."

He pulled away a little, just enough to be able to look his lover in the eyes, but still close enough that he could keep his arms around the man.

"Thank _you_, Hiro-san."

His lover's cheeks flushed bright red and he averted his eyes again before mumbling: "That's…You don't have to thank me either, you know."

Smiling broadly, Nowaki leaned forward to give Hiro-san a peck on the nose, which made the older man blush even more. Nowaki couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

_So adorable…_

"Then let's call it even, okay Hiro-san?"

His lover nodded, before pulling back from their embrace.

"We really should make some breakfast."

Nowaki grinned at him.

"But Hiro-san, I already told you, I only need you for – "

Before he could do so much as blink, Hiro-san's hand had found the magazine laying on the kitchen counter and had whacked him on the head with it.

"Ouch! Hiro-san, why did you do that? Don't you love me anymore?" he pouted, inwardly grinning when his lover's face turned scarlet again.

"B-baka! Just hurry up and finish breakfast already!"

"Ah, Hiro-san, why so cold? You know I love you already, so why can't you tell me – "

Another whack and more blushing followed, and this time Nowaki really couldn't hide the grin that took over his face. Feeling even more cheerful than before, he turned back to the still unfinished breakfast – but not before stealing another kiss from the half-angry, half-embarrassed man in front of him, who in turn made his way back to his seat, mumbling things about 'stupid, tall idiots' under his breath. Nowaki grinned again.

_This is definitely one of the best mornings I've ever had._

* * *

><p>"…You know, I can go to university by myself."<p>

At the mumbled words, Usagi-san turned his head for a moment to shoot Misaki a smug look, before focusing on the road again.

"I know."

Knowing there was nothing he could say to that, Misaki settled for rolling his eyes and pulling his phone out of his pocket. While starting up the device, he could feel the other man's eyes on him.

"What's wrong?" he asked, when he couldn't ignore the prickling sensation anymore.

Usagi-san blinked in surprise for a moment, but then his smirk reappeared.

"Nothing, just wondering who could possibly be more interesting than the amazingly handsome man next to you."

"B-baka!" Misaki spluttered, his face suddenly warmer than it had been a moment before. Usagi-san had been in a ridiculously teasing mood this morning – even worse than usual, that was – and Misaki wondered what had caused it.

_Could it be…because I told him that I…love him again?_

The thought had entered his head before he could stop it, and he promptly felt the temperature of his face raise by a few degrees.

Of course, his lover noticed and raised a brow, looking at him questioningly.

"I-I just remembered I had something important to do…Plus you should watch the road, Usagi-san!"

The novelist chuckled, but moved his eyes back to the road nonetheless.

"Okay, okay…But then you'll have to tell me what it is that is so important."

_What kind of deal is that?_

He knew the older man wouldn't let it go until he told him, though, so while focusing his attention on his phone again, Misaki explained: "I still need to text Takahashi-kun about…what happened last night."

He cringed a little when he realized that he was once again reminding Usagi-san of Ijuuin, but the novelist didn't seem to mind. Instead, his grin grew even wider.

"Well, that's understandable at least…Last night _was _pretty remarkable, after all."

Misaki almost choked on his own saliva.

"U-usagi-san! Stop saying things like that!"

"Things like what?"

"You know what I mean! Baka-Usagi."

When the other man simply let out another chuckle, Misaki decided to ignore him. Upon looking at his inbox, he was surprised to see that Takatsuki had already texted him.

'_I hope you enjoyed your night, Takahashi-kun, because I've just set the no smoking-plan in action.'_

Eyes widening, Misaki stared at the text. He had _not_ expected that.

_On the other hand…Didn't Takatsuki say something about it on the phone last night?_

With everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours, Misaki hadn't paid his friend's remark a lot of attention. Now, though, he was having an inner debate on what to do.

_It's only fair that I go along with it…After all, I was the one who started it…sort of. Plus Usagi-san really needs to stop smoking, or at least cut back a little. But…_

With a start, Misaki realized something that set his whole face on fire and made him desperately avoid the sideways glances Usagi-san was throwing him.

_I would miss it._

His eyes widened at the thought.

_No, no, no, no! I can't think like that! Surely I can go without…without sex for a couple of weeks…I'm not some pervert like Usagi-san!_

The question was: would it only be weeks? He didn't have any experience with it himself, of course, but he'd heard that it was really difficult to stop smoking.

_Okay, so months then, maybe…So what? At least that way, I have a reason to stop Usagi-san from constantly harassing me._

Misaki knew he couldn't fool himself anymore, though. Along with the realization that he loved Usagi-san had come the admittance that he actually liked the man's touches: the way his cold hands caressed his chest, how he could drive Misaki crazy by simply licking his ear and how he held him like he was something precious, something he never wanted to let go of again…

"Misaki?"

"Y-yes?!"

Misaki almost jumped at his lover's voice cutting through his thoughts.

"Are you okay?"

The worried tone made him want to turn around and reassure the other man, but since his face still felt like it was burning up, that didn't seem like the best idea at the moment.

"Y-yes, I'm fine."

"Misaki…"

Cool fingers touched his chin and softly tried to turn his head. Misaki pulled back from the grip and was just about to scold Usagi-san for not paying attention to the road, when he realized they weren't driving anymore. A quick glance out of the window told him that they were currently in front of the university, and judging by the amount of people that were still swarming the campus, they had arrived there quite on time.

"Well, I-I have to go now…Thanks for the ride, Usagi-san!"

He made a move to get out of the car, but a firm grip on his arm stopped him. When he turned around to finally face his lover, Usagi-san's other hand came up again, this time cupping his cheek.

"Misaki," Usagi-san whispered, his thumb stroking Misaki's face, "you can tell me if something's wrong. You know that, right?"

He could feel the blush returning to his face, twice as strong as before.

"I-I told you it's fine…Really," he added when Usagi-san gave him a somewhat disbelieving look. "I was just…remembering something, is all."

His cheeks became even warmer, and suddenly a look of understanding dawned on his lover's handsome features.

_I shouldn't have said that…Crap, crap, crap…!_

"Oh? Were you perhaps thinking about when I – "

Quickly, Misaki clasped his hand over the other man's mouth.

"Baka-Usagi! D-don't say it out loud!"

If possible, the expression on Usagi-san's face became even more amused.

"Hmm? So you _were_ thinking about that."

"N-no…That's not…"

Usagi-san clearly didn't believe him, and with a sigh Misaki gave in.

"Okay, so maybe I was…So what?!"

His lover laughed out loud at this, his real laugh, the one Misaki loved so much. He still had to protest a bit, though. After all, old habits die hard.

"Baka! Don't laugh at other people's feelings!"

Usagi-san's eyes widened a bit at that.

"I'm not laughing at your feelings, Misaki," he said, suddenly a lot more serious. "I would never do that."

The hand that was still on Misaki's cheek now moved a little lower, gently holding his chin again. His head was tilted and he found himself staring right into his lover's eyes, which held so much warmth and love that Misaki's heart skipped a beat at the sight.

"I'm really, very happy, Misaki."

With these whispered words, Usagi-san closed the distance between them, softly placing his lips on Misaki's. The kiss only lasted for a few seconds, but it left his head spinning. For a moment, the whole world faded away until it was only Usagi-san and he, faces still close enough for Misaki to see the different shades of violet in the other man's eyes and smell the cologne he'd put on this morning.

The moment was broken when Misaki suddenly realized that they were sitting in Usagi-san's car.

Outside.

Right in front of his university.

A feeling of dread started to form in his stomach and he immediately pulled back.

_Crap…! Please let nobody have seen that, please…_

"Relax, none of the people outside have been paying attention to us."

Usagi-san smiled reassuringly at him and reached out to stroke a strand of hair out of his face. Despite his anxiousness, Misaki found himself almost unconsciously leaning into the touch. When he realized what he was doing, though, he quickly leaned back and grabbed his bag.

"I-I should go now, my lecture's about to start soon…"

Another dazzling smile was sent his way and before he could process what was going on, Usagi-san had pulled him close again and pecked his lips.

"…Have a nice day, Misaki."

Beet-red and desperately trying to avoid Usagi-san's gaze, Misaki mumbled: "Y-yeah, you too."

Before he slammed the door shut behind him, he caught his lover's low chuckle, and although he didn't particularly liked to be laughed at (not to mention being kissed in a public place), he couldn't help but feel a pleasant warmth in his chest knowing that Usagi-san felt happy.

That _he'd_ made him happy.

While he was busy fighting the urge to look after Usagi-san as he drove away – he wasn't _that_ love-struck, damn it! – Misaki's phone buzzed again. Expecting it to be another text from Takatsuki, he took it out of his pocket, only to find that it came from Todou instead.

'_I'm a little late today, so please don't wait for me.'_

Even though they had a lot of different lectures, they'd developed a habit of meeting before and after school. They didn't have a lot of time, but Misaki really liked the morning chats with Todou. He'd never quite had a friendship like that, and the ease with which they'd formed a bond still surprised him sometimes.

'_That's okay, I was late as well. I'll just wait in front of the university.'_

He hadn't been that late, actually – well, not unless Usagi-san had decided to first interrogate him and then kiss him. The thought made him blush a little and he quickly focused on the text again. He hit sent and then decided it was about time he gave Takatsuki an answer as well. The problem was: what was he going to tell him? Heat rose to his face once again when he recalled his earlier reactions to the other boy's text.

_No way in hell am I going to tell him that I'd actually miss doing…_that_…_

He bit his lip as he thought for a moment, then replied:

'_That's great, Takatsuki-kun! I'm not sure if I can convince Usagi-san to go along with it, though…He's pretty stubborn.'_

It was the truth, Misaki realized. He wanted to go through with the plan, because no matter how much he'd miss the other man's touches, Usagi-san's health was the important thing here. He didn't want to lose the man any sooner than necessary. He wasn't sure, however, how Usagi-san would react to it.

Or rather, he _did_ know, and it sure as hell wouldn't be a positive response. If he himself was already disappointed at the prospect of not having…sex for a while, he could only imagine what it would feel like for his lover.

_Well, we can at least do other things, right…?_

As soon as the thought had entered his head, Misaki felt like hitting himself.

_This is bad…I'm _really _starting to become just as perverted as Usagi-san…_

His phone buzzed again.

'_Yeah, so is Miyagi. He didn't really like it when I told him.'_

Before Misaki had time to reply, another text followed.

'_I'm even more stubborn, though.'_

He had to laugh at that. Yes, he could definitely see Takatsuki overruling Miyagi when it came to stubbornness.

_I'm not, though…Usagi-san always seems to get what he wants in the end…_

He promptly felt his face flush again when he thought about what, or rather who, it was that the older man usually wanted.

'_How did you tell Miyagi-san?'_ he texted back. Maybe Takatsuki could help him find a way to break the news to Usagi-san.

He didn't have to wait for an answer very long.

'_I told him that we agreed that Usami-san and he need to quit, and then I asked him if he'd rather stop smoking or not have sex.'_

'_Hypothetically speaking, of course.'_

A fast-forward approach, just as Misaki had been afraid of. Being blunt when it came to things like this – or anything, actually – never really seemed to work for him.

'_I see…And how did he react?'_

'_He didn't like it, but he agreed to it in the end.'_

Another message from Takatsuki quickly followed.

'_We've kind of delayed it, though, since we've got a date tomorrow night.'_

Misaki's eyes widened and he felt the heat rush back to his face when the implication of the words hit him. Still, he was happy for his new friend.

_It's been a while since Usagi-san and I went on a date…_

'_That's nice! Where are you going?'_ he texted back. Again, the answer followed almost immediately.

'_Wicked.'_

'_The musical, I mean.'_

Misaki couldn't remember ever having been to a musical, but Takatsuki somehow seemed like the type to enjoy them.

'_Sounds great! Have fun!'_

'_Thank you, I'm sure we will. Speaking about fun: how was your night?'_

It felt like all of the blood in his body flooded to his face within just a few seconds. How Takatsuki could ask things like that with a straight face – because he just _knew_ that the guy wouldn't be blushing like he did – was beyond him.

"Takahashi-kun! I told you, you didn't have to wait for me!"

Misaki looked up, only to find himself staring into the face of his best friend.

"T-todou-kun! Good morning!"

_Crap…! Please don't let him notice, please don't let him –_

"Are you okay? Your face is pretty red…"

Todou eyes, which were looking worried at first, suddenly started to sparkle mischievously.

"Ah…Did you have a good night, Takahashi-kun?"

For a moment, Misaki could only stare at his friend. Then he groaned a little, hiding his face in his hands.

_Great, now there are _two_ people asking embarrassing questions…_

"This is really unfair, you know? I don't know why I only attract people who like to tease me, but I must be doing something wrong," he mumbled through his hands, before removing them again.

"Surely it can't be that bad?" Todou asked, laughing as Misaki made a face and shook his head.

"First there was Usagi-san, then Takatsuki-kun started bringing up embarrassing things, and now you –"

His friend frowned a little, interrupting him.

"Takatsuki-kun? When did you…?"

Misaki held up his phone.

"We were texting just now…He pretty much asked the same question as you."

For a moment, Misaki thought he saw Todou's face darken a little. Then, as quickly as it had come, it was gone, and the other guy was grinning at him.

"Let me see," he said, while reaching out to Misaki's phone.

"N-no!"

He tried to hold on to the device, but Todou was stronger. After struggling futilely for a few seconds, he had to give up and leave his phone in the hands of his friend, who happily started scrolling through his messages.

_Damn it…Why did I have to go and befriend a policeman in the making, of all people? I don't even stand a chance against him._

Playing with the hem of his jacket nervously, Misaki waited for him to finish reading. It didn't take long for Todou to look up at him, the little frown back on his face. His tone of voice was teasing, though.

"It seems like he knows something I don't, Takahashi-kun…And what is this about a no smoking-plan?"

Feeling himself blush once again, he averted his eyes and mumbled towards the ground: "Eh…Yeah, that's…something Takatsuki-kun came up with. We both agreed that Usagi-san and Miyagi-san – Takatsuki-kun's lover – should stop smoking, so…"

"So you're going to deny him sex?"

Misaki's eyes widened and he had to keep himself from covering his friend's mouth with his hands.

"D-don't say it so loudly!"

Todou was grinning from ear to ear, eyes sparkling.

"You're blushing again, Takahashi-kun."

"And whose fault is that?!"

Todou laughed even harder at his response, before his face turned somewhat more serious again.

"Okay, so…Three things. One: did I get your plan right? Two: why did Takatsuki ask about your night? He can't have seen you blushing over the phone. And three: you still haven't answered my question."

Misaki hesitated for a moment. On one side, he wanted to tell his friend: about how he'd told Usagi-san that he loved him, and how amazing last night had been. On the other hand, he could already feel his face heating up just by thinking about it. It was way too embarrassing.

_Plus…won't he find it weird that I never really told Usagi-san before? I mean…we have been together for almost four years already…_

Deciding to answer the easiest – in other words, least embarrassing – question first, he started: "Yes, you…got it right. I'm still not convinced that it's going to work, though, not when Usagi-san…"

He quickly cut himself off when he realized where the sentence was going.

_Great, I can't even answer that question without going into dangerous territory…_

Todou chuckled at his pause.

"Hmm, I see…Usami-san is quite…enthusiastic, isn't he?"

Blushing scarlet, Misaki murmured: "That's one way to put it…"

Another chuckle followed.

"Ah well, at least you know he loves you."

The words made Misaki stiffen immediately, a treacherous blush slowly making its way onto his face despite the fact that he forced himself to act casual.

_Crap, I really hope he doesn't notice…_

Of course, his pleadings didn't work this time either.

"Takahashi-kun? Are you okay?"

"Y-yes, I'm fine!"

Attempting to change the subject, he quickly added: "A-Anyway, I should probably give Takatsuki-kun an answer…"

Misaki quickly focused his attention on his phone, trying to hide his now blazing cheeks. This led him to another problem, though: what was he going to answer Takatsuki? Texting him the truth would only be slightly less embarrassing than telling Todou face to face – especially considering the fact that Takatsuki would definitely bring it up again later.

_On the other hand…It would be sort of nice to tell someone…_

Just when he'd made his decision and started typing an answer, however, he was interrupted by Todou.

"Wait a minute, you're giving Takatsuki-kun an answer, but not me?"

The words were said in a teasing tone, but Misaki could have sworn there was some other emotion behind them. Could it be that Todou felt…offended or something?

_Ah well, it _would _be unfair of me to tell Takatsuki first while Todou is right in front of me…But…_

"I-I'm sorry, Todou-kun, it's just…" he trailed off. God, even saying that it was embarrassing was embarrassing! His friend was looking at him expectantly, though, so Misaki took a deep breath before continuing: "It's just that it's…embarrassing to say it out loud…"

Todou frowned a little at first, but nodded slowly in understanding. Then his expression brightened and the teasing glint returned to his eyes.

_O crap, he's probably up to something again…_

"Then just let me read the text," his friend suggested, a happy grin making its way onto his face. "That way, you won't have to feel awkward about it."

Misaki didn't know how to react for a moment. What Todou said was true, but he'd still have to face him immediately after it – unlike Takatsuki-kun, who he most likely wouldn't see for at least a couple of days.

_But…I guess I really want to tell him…_

"O-okay then," he gave in. "But you're not allowed to tease me with it, got it?!"

He shot what he hoped was a threatening glare in Todou's direction and got a big grin in return.

_So much for the 'threatening' part…_

"I'll try not to tease you _too_ much, Takahashi-kun," he replied, eyes sparkling mischievously.

Knowing that was the best answer he was going to get, Misaki turned his attention back to his phone. With fingers that were trembling slightly, he continued his text, hyperaware of the fact that Todou had moved closer and was now reading along over his shoulder.

_It was…fun, thanks. Actually, I – _

He paused, fingers hovering above the screen. Closing his eyes for a moment, he took a deep breath, before mentally pushing himself to finish the sentence.

– _told him that I love him._

Shaking even more now and feeling his heart beat in his throat, he hit the send button.

Silence stretched between him and Todou for a moment, before Misaki spoke up.

"Uh…yeah…now you know, so…"

"Takahashi-kun…"

Misaki turned around at the seriousness in his friend's voice, only to find that his expression was matching the tone.

"You told me yesterday that you'd been together for almost four years, didn't you?"

Knowing where this was heading – exactly where he'd feared it would – Misaki bit his lip and looked at the ground before nodding.

"And you've never told him that before?"

All of the guilt that had lingered somewhere in the back of his mind seemed to come up at once and suddenly Misaki couldn't take it anymore.

"I – I did tell him! And I've tried it too, a lot of times. I-It's just that…it's so embarrassing and Usagi-san's always so cool about it while I…But yeah, it wasn't the first time, but it was different yesterday and today so…"

A hand landed on his shoulder, effectively stopping his ramblings.

"I'm sorry, Takahashi-kun…I didn't mean to assault you or anything…I was just surprised, is all. But in that case, I'm sure Usami-san already knew about your feelings, so don't worry about it, okay?" Todou said, smiling at him reassuringly.

Misaki let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. Todou was right, of course: Usagi-san had always been aware of his feelings. They were in a relationship, after all – a real one, not some friends-with-benefits thing or something.

"Yes, I…Thank you, Todou-kun," he replied, smiling back at his friend gratefully.

Another smile was sent his way.

"You're welcome. I still have one question left, though: why did Takatsuki ask you about your night? Ah – if you don't mind me asking, that is," Todou hastily added, his cheeks reddening just the slightest bit. "I'm sorry, I've really been prying, haven't I? It's okay if you don't want to answer."

Misaki blinked a couple of times, surprised at the sudden change in Todou's behaviour. It was true that he'd been asking a lot of personal things about him, but then again, they were friends…not to mention Todou had seen him being kissed twice yesterday – by two different men.

So he smiled and said: "It's okay, Todou-kun…Well, it's really embarrassing, actually, and I don't even want to think about how much blackmail material you have right now – " This earned him a chuckle from the other guy – "but we're friends, right? So it's okay."

Upon seeing Todou's face relax and settle back into his happy expression, Misaki smiled and continued, this time finally answering his friend's question.

"And eh, about Takatsuki-kun…he called me last night, because…Well, it's a long story, but Miyagi-san was out drinking with Usagi-san and he told Takatsuki-kun that something had happened, so he called me up to ask if I was okay…"

'…_and then overheard Usagi-san ravishing me,'_ he thought, but decided that was a story he would tell another time.

_Or rather, not at all._

Todou nodded in understanding.

"I see. That's very…considerate of him."

Misaki frowned a little. Something in the way he sounded was off, and he wondered if Todou disliked Takatsuki-kun. Sure, they were completely different persons, but they had seemed to hit off very well – even though that meant that they had joined to tease him, Misaki thought with a wry smile. Maybe they'd only acted like that to please him, though? After all, if Todou introduced him to a friend, he would also try his best to be nice to that person, whether he liked them or not.

_Maybe I shouldn't talk about Takatsuki-kun so much…But I can't help it if Todou finds me texting him!_

Deciding it was time to change the subject again, he asked the question that had been lingering in the back of his mind for a while now.

"So how did it go with…with Ijuuin-sensei?"

His friend looked surprised at first, before his expression turned thoughtful.

"It was…" he started after a moment, "…Well, he was …sad, of course, but he seemed to be doing better by the time I left."

Misaki couldn't help but feel a bit worried. He knew that what the mangaka had done wasn't right, and he wasn't sure yet how he felt about the whole situation, but he still didn't want Ijuuin to be hurt.

_Plus, Todou wouldn't tell me if he was a wreck because of me…_

Seemingly picking up on his discomfort, Todou smiled at him reassuringly.

"I'm sure he'll be okay, Takahashi-kun. He just needs some time."

Misaki nodded, once again feeling grateful towards his friend.

Suddenly, Todou's eyes widened almost comically and he turned his wrist so that he could look at his watch.

"Ah crap – we really ought to get going, we're late!"

Taking in his surroundings, Misaki realized that the area around the gate was a lot more empty than it had been when he'd arrived earlier. He nodded in agreement. While they hastily made their way towards the building where they both had their first lecture of the day, Todou suddenly grinned at him again.

"You were right, though, Takahashi-kun."

When Misaki looked at him questionably, his grin grew and his eyes started to sparkle.

"You really gave me some fantastic blackmail material."

Blushing heavily, Misaki averted his gaze, choosing to focus on walking instead. He hadn't taken so much as two more steps, though, when his phone buzzed in his pocket.

He knew he shouldn't look – they had almost reached the lecture room where Misaki had to be right now, plus he'd just promised himself that he wouldn't mention Takatsuki that much when he was with Todou – but his phone kept buzzing, and curiosity made him pull it out of his pocket nonetheless.

He almost immediately regretted it, though.

'_Wait…you didn't tell him before? How long exactly have you been together?!'_

The words made his guilt flare up a little again, but when he opened the second text, those feelings were soon forgotten.

'_You must have had a _really_ good night then, though…Usami-san seems like the type to overdo things a bit. Are you able to stand at all? ;)'_

His face was heating up so much that Misaki could have sworn it was going to explode. Quickly, he snapped his phone shut, drawing Todou's attention.

"Takahashi-kun? I hate to say it, but you're blushing again."

Todou's grin was back once again.

"Oh, are you perhaps thinking about last night…?"

Misaki gaped at him for a moment, before hastily scanning their surroundings. When he concluded that they were indeed alone, he let out a relieved sigh, quickly followed by a groan of frustration.

"I swear you two are going to be the death of me…" he mumbled, but judging by the look on his face, Todou heard it anyway. His grin grew even wider.

"Well, I'm off to my lecture, Takahashi-kun…Try not to think about Usami-san too much!"

With another grin and a wave, he was gone, leaving Misaki standing alone in the hallway, heart pounding and face beet-red. He groaned again, suddenly feeling very tempted to bang his head against the wall. Great. Now he was stuck with images in his head that he _really_ didn't need while following – or trying to follow – a lecture.

_Next time I want to tell them something, I'll definitely think twice about it._

* * *

><p>*Chinatsu comes from <em>Chi<em>, which means _'thousand'_ and _'natsu_', which means summer. It was quite hard picking a name, I didn't even know where to start ^^ There are lots of beautiful Japanese names. This one caught my attention, though (probably because it consists of two words that I actually know xD). On a side note, I only just found out that Chiaki's sister (Sekaiichi Hatsukoi) is also called Chinatsu…talk about a coincidence ^^

** Yakiniku: Thinly sliced beef covered with Japanese sauce and grilled over a barbeque grill by using a pair of chopsticks. It's one of the most famous Japanese dishes (or so I've read on the internet xD). Unfortunately, I've never had the pleasure of tasting it, but the picture I found looks delicious *drool*.

**A/N: Wow, I believe this is the longest chapter yet…And still I feel like not that much happened…whoops. I'm sorry I didn't get to writing the date and dinner chapter yet (hey, that sounds like a nice title! ^^), but I promise the next chapter will start on Friday (this chapter still took place on Thursday). And then there will hopefully be some action again :) It's just that some things needed to be addressed before I could move on to that, plus I wanted to show Nowaki's conversation with Hiroki's mother (that scene was pretty hard to write, so I hope it came out well). **

**So, next time there will be: a nervous Hiroki, a little less nervous and also excited Nowaki, a teasing Miyagi, an excited Shinobu, an understanding Akihiko and a shocked Misaki. Oh, I'm sooo looking forward to writing it! ;D**

**As always, please let me know what you think! Until next time! :D**


	20. Date and Dinner part one

**A/N: Hi! Okay, today I'm going to do something I've never done before: I'm going to post this chapter without proofreading it first. I've just been so busy lately, but I really wanted to give you a new chapter before Christmas. So, I'm hoping I haven't made any stupid mistakes, and of course I'll make sure to proofread it later. **

**Chapter 20! I still can't believe I've come this far. And it's been almost a year since I started writing this fic, too! I'm really happy that there are still people enjoying this fic, I really can't thank all of you enough for your support! Also, thanks a lot for helping me reach a hundred favorites! I'm very happy about that ^^ **

**Happy Holidays to all of you! I hope you'll enjoy the chapter, it's my Christmas present to you ;D Please let me know what you think!**

**Okay, on to the reviews! :D**

**Visitor: I'm very honored to hear that, thank you very much! I'm glad you like Todou's role, I'm having a lot of fun writing him. He's such a sweet guy! At least, I've always felt that way when reading the manga. I love how enthusiastic he and Misaki can get about 'The Kan' xD And there will definitely be some more conversation between them and Shinobu in the future. Thank you so much for another kind review! :D**

**Bajusz: Hi! ^^ Thank you, I'm very glad to hear that! About the phone conversation…I read your comment and I was like: o my gosh, that's absolutely true! Honestly, I still don't know why that hasn't occurred to me at the moment…It's probably because I'd written the scene already from Hiroki's POV in the previous chapter, but since I didn't have the space there to elaborate on it, I kind of went with the 'Hiroki was super spaced out' thing. I'll definitely keep it in mind for future reference, though, so thank you for pointing it out and being honest with me. I'm really glad you liked the rest of the chapter, and guess which couple is back this chapter? ;D Thanks again and kisses back!**

**HarryXMeBandEvah: Thank you so much! :D**

**THOUGHTFULYAOI: Haha, thank you so much! xD I'm really glad to hear that you're enjoying it :D And don't worry, I've been crazy busy as well, so I know how you feel. But I'm looking forward to talking to you again! :D Thank you for still following the story, even though you're busy on Wattpad, and thanks a lot for another wonderful review! ^^**

**Okay, now on to the story! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Junjou Romantica**

* * *

><p><em>Friday<em>

Hiroki was nervous.

He didn't like to admit it, not even to himself, but he couldn't deny it either. It had been his turn to make breakfast that morning, and the smell of the eggs he'd been baking had almost made him throw up. His stomach was already so full of the figurative butterflies that nothing else seemed to fit in. On top of that, he hadn't been sleeping very well that night, which at that moment he'd ascribed to the fact that Nowaki had come home very late. Now, however, he knew he couldn't ignore the real reason behind it anymore.

This all wouldn't have been so bad if he'd had the day off. If that were the case, Hiroki would probably have taken a bath to relax first, and then he would have made a journey through the mountains of books he owned, eventually picking one to sit down with and enjoy with a nice cup of tea.

Instead, however, he would have to spent his day teaching insolent little brats who didn't give a damn about literature – not to mention that when he wasn't giving lectures, he would be surrounded by –

"Ka-mi-jou~!"

"…Professor Miyagi," he replied shortly before turning back to his laptop, fully intending to ignore the other man.

Miyagi, of course, didn't agree with that.

"Ah, why so cold, my sweet honey? Surely you've missed me as well."

…_Great, he's in one of his super cheerful moods._

Just barely suppressing a groan, Hiroki turned back around, giving Miyagi the most menacing glare he could manage.

He so didn't need this right now.

"May I remind you that we've seen each other only yesterday? And I told you to stop giving me weird nicknames."

Miyagi pouted, which looked absolutely ridiculous on him.

"Ah, Hiroki, how can you describe something that shows my endless love and affection for you as – ouch!"

Rubbing the sore spot on his head where the book had hit him, Miyagi frowned at Hiroki.

"Jeez, you didn't have to hit that hard!"

Hiroki just shook his shoulders before once again turning back to his work.

"You had it coming, professor. Seriously, I've lost count of the times that I asked you to stop calling me by my first name. It's really annoying."

Then he added, murmuring under his breath: "Plus neither Nowaki nor your little brat likes it."

Miyagi must have heard him anyway, for his face turned thoughtful and he was silent for a moment, apparently seriously taking his words into consideration this time.

_Good, I hope he'll finally get it this time._

His hope was short-lived, though, because Miyagi's face already started to brighten again, a teasing glint appearing in his eyes and the corners of his mouth slowly turning upwards. Upon seeing the all too familiar expression on the professor's face, Hiroki let out a deep sigh.

_Here we go again…_

"Hmm…Is that it, perhaps?"

Even though he knew that he was doing exactly what Miyagi wanted him to, Hiroki couldn't help but turn around to face the man again. He immediately regretted it, though, when he noticed the smug look that Miyagi was giving him.

_Damn my curiosity._

"What?" he asked, making sure that the irritation in his voice could clearly be heard. Miyagi just grinned in response, sitting down on his own chair and spinning it around until so that he could look Hiroki in the eyes.

"Ah, I was just wondering if my dear Hiroki doesn't get enough attention from his tall doctor, is all."

Seething with anger and desperately trying to stop his face from flaring up, Hiroki balled his fists in an effort not to reach out and throw another book at the man's head.

"Would you _kindly_ mind your own business,_ professor_ Miyagi," he said, the sentence coming out as more of a statement than a question. "And I told you to stop calling me that!"

"But how should I call you then, honey~?" Miyagi asked innocently, his pout back in place. "Oh, wait – How is it that he calls you again? Hiro-san? Maybe I should – "

"Don't you dare!" Hiroki interrupted him, and this time Miyagi actually seemed a little taken aback by the glare he was giving him.

He huffed, turning back around to finally really start working.

'_Stupid Miyagi'_ he thought, while searching his documents for the right file, _'as if I'd ever let him call me that'_.

There was only one person in the world who was allowed to call him 'Hiro-san', after all.

He sighed a little when his thoughts once again drifted back to the upcoming evening. Truthfully, things had worked out way better than he'd expected until now – his mother, although surprised, seemed to be taking the news pretty well. His father, however…Hiroki bit his lip and let out another sigh.

_I have absolutely no idea how he's going to react…But the chance that after tonight everything will be flowers and rainbows is very small._

Running a hand through his hair and taking a deep breath, he tried to shake off the negative emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. It wasn't like he could do anything about it right now, so what use was there in worrying so much? Still, the nasty feeling that had settled in his stomach refused to go away.

_They're my parents, after all. They drive me crazy sometimes, but I – _

His eyes widened at his thoughts. No, no, no, this was not him! He definitely wasn't the kind of person to think something clichéd and silly like –

– _I don't want them to hate me._

"…Hiro – Kamijou? Are you okay?"

Miyagi's face was right in front of him, frowning a little and eyes filled with worry. At least, that was what Hiroki could make out of it. He wasn't able to see the other man very well, what with his vision being blurry because of the –

_Crap…!_

"Are you crying?"

Miyagi's voice missed its teasing tone from earlier completely, having turned concerned and gentle – which made the whole situation even more embarrassing than it already was.

As quickly as he could, Hiroki turned away his face and rubbed his arm over his eyes.

"I – I'm not!"

"Kamijou…"

"I'm not crying, damn it!"

The words came out harsher than he meant to, and he couldn't help but feel a little prickle of guilt. When the man stopped fooling around and trying to get a rise out of him all the time, he was actually a pretty decent companion. A friend even, maybe – not that those words would ever leave Hiroki's mouth.

Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder, firm and comforting.

"Kamijou…You don't have to tell me what's wrong, but…I told you before that, as cheesy as it sounds, I'm here to listen to you if you want to talk."

The older man gave his shoulder a little squeeze before adding gently: "The offer still stands, you know."

Hoping his eyes wouldn't show any of the betraying tears anymore, Hiroki looked at the professor again, only to find him staring back with eyes that showed nothing but worry and friendliness.

_Maybe…maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to tell him…_

He immediately shook his head in response to his own thought. No, he was _not _going to talk about a subject like this with Miyagi. Not only would it be very uncomfortable, there was no way this man would understand –

Hiroki's eyes widened again when realization hit him. Miyagi always seemed so careless and happy that it was easy to forget it, but the older man was also in an… unconventional relationship at the moment. Not to mention that what he had with Takatsuki could lead him into a lot more trouble than Hiroki and Nowaki would ever have to endure.

"I – " he started, wincing a little when he heard his voice crack. He cleared his throat and averted his eyes before trying again.

"I… Wednesday evening, I told my parents…about…about Nowaki and I."

Looking at the other man from the corner of his eyes, Hiroki noticed how Miyagi's eyes widened slightly. This clearly wasn't what he'd been expecting to hear.

"That's…really brave of you, Kamijou."

It was strange, hearing the almost exact same words Nowaki had said to him two days ago coming from Miyagi's mouth. Still, it wasn't a bad reaction, and it made Hiroki feel slightly more at ease.

"So…how – how did it go?"

The words were spoken hesitantly – cautiously even, maybe – and suddenly, realization hit Hiroki.

_Oh! He thinks that _that's _what I'm worried about…_

"I-it went fine, actually," he answered quickly, trying not to let the relief he still felt sound through in his voice.

Miyagi studied him for a moment and then nodded, apparently having decided that Hiroki was being honest.

"That's good, then," he said, smiling at Hiroki. It was a sincere smile, not one of the teasing ones he would send his way so often.

Hiroki nodded back, before averting his eyes again. Silence stretched between them, the only sounds in the room the ticking of the clock and the low buzz of the computer. Hiroki hesitated, staring at the books at his desk without actually seeing them.

_Should I…?_

Before he could make his decision, Miyagi spoke up, his tone casual this time.

"Well, if you're sure you're doing fine, then I'd better get to work…My next lecture will be starting soon. Can't let the brats wait, now can we?"

The pressure on his shoulder disappeared and behind him, Hiroki could hear the older man making his way to his desk, settling down and turning on his own computer.

Before his brain got the chance to tell him how incredible stupid and embarrassing it would be, Hiroki spoke up again, raising his voice just enough for the professor to hear him.

"They're coming over for dinner tonight…And I – " he paused, his courage flying out of the window now that he could feel Miyagi's eyes on his back, "I-I guess I'm a little…nervous…about it…"

Quick footsteps approached him, and before Hiroki could do so much as blink, Miyagi's hand was back on his shoulder.

"Kamijou…"

"Y-You know, never mind," Hiroki said, letting out an awkward laugh and making sure Miyagi couldn't see his eyes, which, to his shame, were turning moist again.

"I'm sorry, I just – "

"Kamijou," Miyagi interrupted, his grip on Hiroki's shoulder becoming firmer, "it's nothing to apologize for. I know I'd feel exactly the same in your place. But… you just told me your parents took it well, didn't you?"

"Eh…Well, my mother did," he answered, still not quite believing that he was talking about this, "I don't know about my father yet."

Silence followed his words, and curiosity made Hiroki get over his embarrassment just enough to glance at Miyagi. The older man's face lit up in understanding, before his expression turned thoughtful, his brow furrowed and his eyes holding something that seemed like concern.

_He…he really cares, doesn't he?_

Miyagi caught Hiroki staring at him and he smiled at him reassuringly.

"Well, at least you've got one parent on your side. I'm sure your father will come around as well – mothers can be very persuasive, you know."

Despite the situation, Hiroki found himself smiling inwardly.

_Yes, that's definitely true…_

The older man squeezed his shoulder again and his voice turned even gentler when he continued.

"It's going to be fine, Kamijou. Really."

Hiroki turned his head away quickly, taking a deep breath and blinking a couple of times, trying to get rid of the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. Then he looked up at the professor again, letting a small, grateful smile appear on his face.

"…Thank you, professor Miyagi."

_Really, thank you. _

Miyagi seemed taken aback for a moment, his eyes widening almost comically, but then a soft expression dawned on his features, and he gave Hiroki another one of his sincere smiles.

"You're welcome, Kamijou…And please just call me Miyagi, especially in this kind of situation. We're friends, there's no need to be so polite."

Hiroki let out a huff and rolled his eyes a little, to his relief noting that almost all of the tears had disappeared.

"I thought I told you before that I never agreed to that, _professor_."

The older man raised an eyebrow at him before his face took on the familiar playful expression again.

"Aw, Hiroki, I'm hurt! And here I thought we were getting closer to each other!" he whined, clutching his chest dramatically.

Hiroki rolled his eyes.

"In your dreams, professor," he mumbled, turning away from him and focusing his attention on his work. It really felt like a burden had been lifted from his shoulders because of Miyagi's words, though. Hiroki shot a quick look over his shoulder, where the older man was humming cheerfully while going through the massive amount of documents on his desk, and couldn't help a smile from creeping on his face.

_He really is a great guy, underneath it all._

* * *

><p>Akihiko almost felt like skipping down the sidewalk, images of the last two days playing over and over again in his mind. Misaki saying that he loved him, Misaki's adorable blushing face when Akihiko had kissed him in the car, Misaki saying that he loved him again, Misaki's beautiful body as he was lying underneath him, all sweaty and oh-so-cute, Misaki telling him those three special words once again…<p>

Sometimes he wondered if it was unhealthy to think about one person this much.

He was currently on his way to a florist, determined to find a bouquet that would fit his lover and would be able to convey his feelings for the boy. There had to be roses in it, definitely, and maybe some sunflowers…

Akihiko was so lost in thought that he almost missed the familiar head with brown locks that was passing by.

"…Hiroki!"

Cinnamon eyes were turned his way, widened in surprise.

"A-Akihiko…"

Akihiko was just as surprised as his friend. It was lunch time, but as far as he knew, Hiroki always stayed at the University , very often not even leaving his office.

"You're having a day off?" he asked, although that seemed even more unlikely than his friend going out for lunch.

As to be expected, Hiroki scowled at him.

"Tsk. There's this thing called lunch break, you know. Just because we're not all super rich novelists, doesn't mean we have to work all day."

Akihiko raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? I wasn't aware of the fact that you actually left your office during your break. Or…are you perhaps meeting up with that doctor of yours?"

He could barely contain a smirk upon seeing his friend's face turn red in a matter of seconds.

_That never gets old…_

"N-no…"

He lifted his eyebrow even higher.

"No, really! I was just – "

Hiroki abruptly cut himself off, looking almost terrified for a second, and Akihiko couldn't help but feel worried at the sight of the other man. His eyes were still a little too wide, his gaze was anywhere but on him, and his whole posture seemed tense.

_There's definitely something going on…_

"Hiroki…You can tell me if something's wrong."

Hiroki bit his lip. He seemed to actually think about his words, much to Akihiko's surprise. The moment was over soon enough, though.

"It's nothing…" he answered, shaking his head, still not looking at Akihiko.

_As if I'd believe that, baka._

"I'd better get going. It was nice seeing you again, Aki – "

"Hiroki…I've still got some books of yours at home," he interrupted. "How about you come with me and I'll return them to you."

It was more of a demand than a question, but he needed to have a talk with his friend. And since it was Hiroki he was dealing with, Akihiko knew the man wouldn't open his mouth until he was practically forced to.

"Ah…well," Hiroki stumbled, looking nervous all over again, "I actually…eh…have to go…to the florist…"

Akihiko felt like hitting himself. How could he almost have forgotten the flowers for Misaki?!

_Although…this is actually very convenient…_

A smirk crept on his face as he turned towards Hiroki again.

"Well, looks like we're going there together."

* * *

><p>Miyagi was humming softly to himself while he walked through the small path, admiring the beautiful flowers that were displayed on either side of him and taking a deep breath to take in their scents.<p>

_It's been a while since I last went to a florist…_

He couldn't even remember when that had been, to be honest. It was a shame, since coming here always made him feel calm and…whole, for some reason, but it wasn't often that he needed to pick out flowers for someone and he wasn't the type to buy flowers for himself. Now, however, he had a purpose.

Finding the most perfect bouquet for Shinobu.

He had almost reached the end of the path when a combination of colors caught his eye. Yellow, red and pink clashed beautifully, and for some reason it just screamed 'Shinobu'. Miyagi stopped to admire it, noticing that it consisted of red roses – which was, of course, perfect – and yellow tulips, while the pink colour came from the carnations that were added to the mix. Reaching out to stroke the soft petals, he also understood why the bouquet reminded him of his lover. Shinobu had completely different sides as well, which you'd normally think wouldn't go well together. Somehow, though, he'd made it work, bringing his fierce and his sweet personality together and becoming the boy – the man – he was today. It was really admirable, when you thought about it, and one of the things Miyagi loved about him.

Carefully, he lifted the bouquet out of the flower box, turning around to make his way to the counter. He smiled softly when he looked down at the flowers cradled in his arms.

_It's perfect._

Still lost in thought, he didn't notice the man until he almost walked into him.

"Oi, be carefu – professor Miyagi?!"

He quickly looked up, only to find himself looking into the face of Kamijou Hiroki.

"Kamijou! What brings you here? And…"

To his surprise, he suddenly noticed another familiar face.

"…Usami-san! How are you?"

While Kamijou just scoffed , Usami took a step forward and gave him a polite smile.

"I'm fine, thank you. I hope you're also doing well?"

Miyagi wasn't able to stop the smile that slipped on his face as he nodded.

"Yes, I am, thank you. So…" he looked at Kamijou for a moment before directing his gaze back to Usami again, "…may I ask what brings you here?"

The novelist smiled, his eyes lighting up in a way that Miyagi hadn't seen on him yet. He'd already noticed that it usually meant that Usami was up to something, and he almost unconsciously braced himself for a teasing comment until he realized that there was something different about the other man's smile, something…tender.

"I'm here to find some flowers for the one I love."

_Ah. That explains a lot…_

"And what brings you here, Miyagi-san?"

"Ah – The same, actually. I've got a date tonight, so…"

"Oh, so you've finally found someone your own age?" Kamijou interrupted, raising an eyebrow at him.

Even though Miyagi knew that the brunette was just trying to get a rise out of him, the words still stung a little. No matter how many times Shinobu told him that he loved him and that he didn't want anyone else, it couldn't completely silence the little voice in his head that told him that he wasn't good for the young man – that he was ruining his chances on a normal life.

_Oi, get yourself together! This is _not_ the time to be thinking about that._

"I'm going on a date with _Shinobu_," he answered, and there was a bit more bite in his voice than he'd intended when he asked: "So how about you? What are you here for?"

Kamijou almost immediately looked away, but that didn't stop Miyagi from noticing his slightly pained expression and the way his whole posture tensed – much like this morning, when he'd told Miyagi…

…_Oh._

Kamijou's parents where coming over this night, which meant that was probably the reason he was looking for some flowers. A wave of guilt washed over him as he took another look at his co-worker's – his friend's – face. After all, he could very well imagine how the man felt.

Next to him, Usami shifted a little, and when Miyagi turned his attention back to him he noticed the surprise etched in the novelist's features.

_Hmm…Does that mean Hiroki hasn't told him yet? Or is he just surprised that I know…?_

Well, it couldn't hurt to tease Kamijou a bit. At least it would make the mood a little lighter.

"So, Kamijou, you're here for tonight's events? Good idea, buying flowers always sets the right mood."

Kamijou's face shot up, an unbelieving expression on his face.

"What are you – "

"I mean, you also could have chosen chocolates, those work great as well, but flowers are more of a classic, don't you agree?"

Usami was now looking downright confused, while Kamijou's eyes shot between him and Miyagi, his face turning redder by the second – which got even worse when Usami spoke up.

"If you have plans with Kusama-kun, you could've just told me, Hiroki."

"I-I don't have plans…" Kamijou spluttered, looking extremely uncomfortable.

When Miyagi raised an eyebrow, he added: "Not that kind of plans!"

He turned his head away again before mumbling: "And you know it, bastard."

This time, it was Usami who raised an eyebrow.

"After we're done here, we're going to talk for sure, Hiroki."

While the brunette groaned, Miyagi couldn't help but let out a little chuckle.

"Well, good luck with that, Kamijou. I'd better go back to my work – I've still got to look through some papers for the meeting."

He felt guilty for leaving Kamijou in the hands of Usami, who would definitely interrogate him until he got the answers he was looking for. But on the other hand, he knew that it would be good for his colleague to talk about it.

_Talking with me seemed to help him somewhat, so having a good conversation with his childhood friend should work even better. _

Usami nodded at him and gave him a polite smile.

"It was nice seeing you again, Miyagi-san."

"Same here, Usami-san," he smiled back. "And Kamijou…"

The brunette looked up and Miyagi gave him what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

"…Good luck tonight."

Kamijou's eyes widened a little before he gave a nod and then slowly, hesitantly, smiled back.

Miyagi gave a little wave in the general direction of the two men and started making his way towards the counter. He was stopped, however, by his friend speaking up again.

"…Professor."

Miyagi turned around in surprise. Kamijou was looking at him, his gaze unusually open, and when he spoke his next words, they sounded completely sincere.

"Have a nice date."

Miyagi eyes widened and then he smiled, a warm feeling spreading through his chest.

"Thank you, Kamijou."

He had never realized how nice it would be to hear those words. Just hearing someone say that to him seemed to give his relationship with Shinobu some of the normalcy the both of them where craving. What hit him the most, though, was the fact that Kamijou's eyes had just spoken the words that he knew the brunette actually wanted to say, but didn't come out of his mouth:

'_Thank you'._

* * *

><p><em>Tickets? <em>Check.

_Money?_ Check.

_ID?_ Check.

_Phone?_ Check.

_Outfit?_

Shinobu took another look in the mirror, running a hand through his hair and smoothing out a ripple in his shirt. He knew it was ridiculous to think about his clothes, since Miyagi saw him every day, but he couldn't help but feel like he had to wear something at least a little bit more special than usual. So he'd chosen a new shirt, which he'd bought only a few days before – definitely not because of their date, of course – and a nice pair of dark jeans.

Letting out a deep sigh, he sat down on the couch. The more time passed, the more nervous he seemed to get, the butterflies in his stomach refusing to go unnoticed no matter what he did to distract himself from them.

_Crap…It's not like this is our first date or something…Why the hell am I this nervous?!_

He sighed again, letting his face fall down in his hands.

_Please Miyagi…come home soon._

As if his prayers had been heard, the sound of a key in the keyhole was heard, followed by the light creak as the door swung open.

"I'm home!"

Taking a deep breath and once again wishing the stupid butterflies away, Shinobu stood and made his way towards the hallway.

"Welcome home," he mumbled, not daring to look at Miyagi for a moment. When he finally lifted his head, his eyes widened in surprise.

There stood his lover, being tall, dark and handsome as usual, practically beaming at him and holding a beautiful bouquet in his hands.

_I-Is that…?_

For a moment, all he could do was stand and stare. He couldn't remember ever having gotten flowers from Miyagi before…and…where those red roses?

"Eh…I figured it'd be appropriate to give you something…Ah – not that I didn't want to or anything…But if you don't like them, I understand, I just…"

Miyagi was tripping over his words, which was very unusual, and when Shinobu tore his gaze away from the flowers and focused on his lover's face, he noticed how uncertain he looked.

…_He's completely misunderstanding this, isn't he?_

"They're…They're beautiful…" he said quickly, feeling his face heat up. "T-Thank you, Miyagi."

His lover's face visibly relaxed and he gave Shinobu a smile that was so sincere that it made him feel warm and tingly all over, his stomach being taken over by another kind of butterflies this time. Then Miyagi took a few steps closer to him, his shoes and coat still on, and held out the bouquet.

Shinobu took over the flowers, their hands briefly touching in the process and sending sparks through his body.

_Geez, this _really _feels like a first date after all…_

Blushing again, he repeated his earlier words.

"M-miyagi…thank you."

The older man smiled at him again, a familiar gleam appearing in his eyes. Then, before Shinobu could process what was going on, he was leaning forward, his lips briefly brushing Shinobu's cheek before coming to a halt only millimeters from his ear, warm breath gushing over sensitive skin as he mumbled: "You're welcome, Shinobu-chin."

Miyagi drew back and smiled at him once more, before starting to remove his coat and shoes.

"I'm going to change quickly, if you don't mind, and then we can go."

Shinobu nodded, still a bit in a daze, and watched his lover take his bag and make his way past him towards the living room. Suddenly feeling the urge to kiss the man, Shinobu took a few steps, stretching out his hand and grabbing Miyagi's arm. His lover turned around, surprised, and Shinobu took the opportunity to push himself up on his tiptoes and press his lips against the older man's. Then he drew back and took in the slightly bewildered face of his lover, liking how the roles were reversed now.

He smiled at Miyagi and said, before he could stop himself:

"I'll be waiting."

* * *

><p>"So…" Akihiko started, crossing his right leg over the other and leaning back in the couch, "What's going on?"<p>

Hiroki was sitting in the couch opposite of him, his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. Akihiko could tell he was nervous, though. His shoulders were tense and he hadn't looked him in the eyes even once since he'd arrived at his apartment. The novelist had managed to persuade his friend to come over after his work. It had taken a while (and the threat that if Hiroki wouldn't drop by, he had to tell Akihiko right then and there), but by the time they'd both bought a nice bouquet, the brunette had given in.

"I told you, nothing's – "

"That's bullshit, Hiroki, and you know it."

His friend cringed and Akihiko felt a prickle of guilt for being so blunt with his friend. He knew he needed to, though. If he didn't, Hiroki would never talk about anything.

_And he really needs to let things out sometimes. Keeping everything bottled up isn't doing him any good._

"Hiroki…Whatever's on your mind, you can talk to me about it. You know that."

Just like earlier that day, the other man seemed to weigh his words. This time, though, instead of waving them away again, he took a deep breath before nodding slowly. When it became apparent that this gesture didn't mean that Hiroki was going to start the conversation, Akihiko decided to take matters in his own hands again. He motioned towards the bouquets on the table before them, where they'd put them in some vases for the time being.

"So, who are the flowers for?"

Again, Hiroki cringed, and Akihiko was reminded of their visit to the florist, when the brunette had shown a similar reaction to Miyagi's question.

_It must be a big deal, then. But I can't imagine him buying flowers for anyone except that doctor of his…No, actually, I can't see him giving his boyfriend flowers either…_

"…For my mother."

Akihiko's eyebrows shot up.

_He's going to visit his parents? Now _that's _ a surprise…_

"Really? What made you decide to go see her?"

Hiroki tensed again and his eyes darted nervously trough the room.

"That's…"

He mumbled something under his breath, but it wasn't loud enough for Akihiko to catch it.

"What did you say?"

"I said…" Hiroki seemed to take another deep breath, before he focused his gaze on Akihiko, "…I said that my parents are the ones coming over, actually."

Now Akihiko was really gaping at him. He quickly recovered himself, though, and now deliberately raised his eyebrows at his friend.

"You invited your parents to your apartment?"

"…That's what I said, baka," Hiroki mumbled, looking away again.

To say he was surprised didn't cover what Akihiko was feeling at the moment. Just a few days ago, he'd realized that his childhood friend still hadn't come to terms with the fact that he was gay, even though his preference had been clear for years, and now he'd already outed himself to his parents?

_Unless..._

"Will Kusama-kun be there as well?"

Hiroki's head shot up immediately.

"Of course he'll be there! I can't very well hide him in the bedroom, now can I?"

Akihiko's lips curled up as he envisioned the scene. Truthfully, he wouldn't put it past Hiroki to do something like that. His friend wasn't someone who would think rationally when he was in a state of panic.

"Well, I was just wondering if you'd invited them willingly to introduce your boyfriend to them or if your mother was just fed up with your excuses and forced you to ask them over."

The words earned him a small smile from the man in front of him.

"No, she didn't…not this time. I'm still surprised I managed to keep her away for so long, though…"

Akihiko smiled.

"Well, stubbornness is a family trait, it seems."

"Looks who's saying it," Hiroki shot back.

The novelist let out a chuckle this time.

"Hmm, I guess you're right."

He sat back and added: "I'm surprised, though. That you've told them."

Hiroki shrugged his shoulders in an attempt to appear casual, but his expression betrayed how much of a big deal this actually was for him.

"Well, that's…Nowaki really wanted to meet them, and I thought about what you'd said in the bar and I – I figured you were right. Kind of," he added, when Akihiko shot him a victorious smile.

The novelist grinned before getting serious again. During the conversation, it had become pretty clear what Hiroki was so nervous about. After all, it wasn't every day you introduced your parents to your lover – especially considering the fact that it was a male. There was one big question left, though: how had his parents taken the news? Akihiko figured their reaction couldn't have been too bad, otherwise they wouldn't come over to meet Kusama.

_But if they're okay with it, then why is he this nervous?_

Deciding to just drop the bomb, he asked: "So, what did they say when you told them?"

When he noticed the other man shifting uncomfortably and turning his head away again, Akihiko sat upright, letting his elbows rest on his knees and his head in his hands, and looked intently at his friend for a moment before speaking up again.

"Hiroki…I keep repeating myself, but you can tell me. I understand."

His friend looked up at him, his eyes widened slightly in surprise. It was true, though, what he'd said.

_After all, Hiroki's not the only one with a male lover here._

It wasn't like his father had thrown him a party when he'd learned about Misaki. Plus there was still the matter of Takahiro…

Pushing the last thought out of his head for the time being, he focused on his childhood friend again, who finally seemed to be talking without his earlier reluctance.

"My mother…she reacted quite well, actually. She even spoke to Nowaki for a bit."

This time, it was Akihiko who felt his eyes widen.

"That's certainly a good reaction," he said, shooting Hiroki a sincere smile. It was great to hear that the thing he'd been dreading so much had turned out fine. If his mother seemed fine with it, then…

Suddenly, finally, realization hit him.

…_Of course._

He didn't understand how he could've been this oblivious, since it was fairly obvious what Hiroki was nervous about now. Akihiko decided to blame the absence of his usual sharp observations on Misaki and his constant cuteness – well, extra cuteness – lately.

Turning his attention back to Hiroki, he said softly: "You haven't spoken to your father yet, have you?"

It was more of a statement than a question, but the other man nodded anyway.

"It's just…I really have no idea how he's taken the news, and I just…"

Hiroki scowled, apparently at himself, before continuing: "…I'm so irritated with myself for being this…this _nervous_, but I can't help but wonder what he thinks of me now, and it's not just me – "

He stopped, eyes wide in realization.

"It's not just me," he repeated, looking Akihiko straight in the eyes for the first time since he'd just started talking, "It's also Nowaki, you know? He's…He wants a family so badly, and I…I don't want his perfect image to be crushed."

Akihiko wondered briefly why Kusama longed for a family – did he not have any relatives? Or had they, perhaps, not reacted well to the news of him being gay? – but upon seeing his friend's face, he decided that was a matter for another time.

Because even though the other man made a great effort to hide it, there were definitely some tears shining in his eyes.

"Hiroki…"

When his friend refused to look at him, Akihiko let out a short sigh before making his way over to the other couch. He sat down and, taking advantage of the man's surprise, caught Hiroki's chin in a gentle yet firm grip.

"Hiroki," he said again, lifting his head and looking him straight in the eyes, "Listen to me. Whatever happens tonight, Kusama-kun's perfect image is going to be crushed sooner or later. Family isn't always perfect, as I'm sure you're very well aware of, and he's going to find that out eventually. However," he continued, raising his voice a little when Hiroki started to open his mouth, "I understand that you want their first meeting to be a pleasant one. And while I can't say anything about how your father will react, the fact that he hasn't called you to tell you he's disowned you is already quite promising, isn't it?"

He paused for a moment to let his words sink in, then added: "Plus it seems like you've already got your mother at your side. I mean, she's even spoken to Kusama-kun already. I assume she asked for that?"

When Hiroki nodded, he continued: "Then isn't that reassurance enough? I'm not saying that it shouldn't be normal for parents to welcome their child's partner with open arms, or that you should settle for less just because your lover is male as well, but giving the way our current society works, I'd say you can be very happy with the way she reacted."

His friend was silent for a while, looking at his lap and wringing his hands together. Then he took a deep breath and nodded, albeit a bit hesitantly.

"…Yes, I – I guess you're right."

Akihiko raised an eyebrow and allowed his lips to curl up just the slightest bit.

"Again? You realize this is the second time this evening you've admitted that, don't you?"

"Shut up, Bakahiko," Hiroki groaned, but Akihiko could see the tiniest hint of a smile on his face. He placed a hand on his friend's knee and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"Seriously, though, you're going to be fine, Hiroki. Even if they wouldn't accept it – and honestly, I can't really imagine that at this point anymore – it wouldn't be the end of the world. It would suck, yes, but you'd get through it."

Hiroki nodded again, and they fell into a silence that was a lot less uncomfortable than the one they'd shared before this conversation. After a few minutes, however, the brunette spoke up again.

"So…what about you?"

When Akihiko looked up questioningly, he elaborated: "Have you told your – Takahashi-kun about…about us yet?"

To say he was startled by the question would be an understatement.

_Crap…I guess I've completely forgotten about that…Well, no wonder with him suddenly confessing his love to me…_

There was a part of him, though, that wondered if that was all of it. To be honest, he wasn't exactly looking forward to telling Misaki about it. Cute, innocent Misaki, who would never sleep with someone he wasn't in love with and who would most definitely be upset when he learned the truth.

Still, he needed to know. He _deserved_ to know. If Akihiko expected the boy to trust him, then he had to trust Misaki in return.

"No, I haven't," he simply answered.

Hiroki's eyebrows shot up at this and Akihiko just knew his friend was going to berate him. Since when had their roles turned around, anyway?

"You realize it's only getting worse if you keep postponing it, don't you?"

Akihiko let out a sigh.

"Yes, I know. And you're right – " he didn't miss the little gleam in Hiroki's eyes at these words " – I've got to tell him soon. It's just – "

He sighed again, running a hand through his hair.

"I assume you know him a bit by now, and he doesn't take things lightly, to say the least. So I can't just go up to him and tell him: 'Hey, remember when I was in love with your brother but he didn't want me? Well, Hiroki was there and he offered himself, so I just had sex with him instead.' No, for some reason I can't imagine that – "

He stopped in his tracks when he heard a sound and he sharply turned his head towards the door – feeling like his heart had just stopped beating when he found the source of the little noise.

There in the doorway stood Misaki – his cute, adorable, amazing Misaki – with his coat still on, his bag in one hand and the most unbelieving, crushed expression Akihiko had ever seen on him.

…_Fuck._

No, he really couldn't imagine this going well.

* * *

><p>For what felt like the hundred time in the last thirty minutes, Nowaki checked his phone. Nothing. Again. The excitement he'd felt all day – a mix of nervous butterflies and a slight feeling of anxiousness – was slowly turning into something more like panic.<p>

About an hour ago, Hiro-san had called him to tell him that things had gotten late at his work due to an unexpected meeting, and on top of that, 'Bakahiko' had talked him into coming over after his work. He'd promised Nowaki that he would keep it as short as possible and that he'd definitely be home on time. Right now, however, it was almost half past seven – only half an hour before Hiro-san's parents would arrive – and Nowaki was growing more tense by the minute.

He was generally quite good with people, but this were Hiro-san's parents they were talking about, and he desperately wanted to make a good impression on them. Nowaki felt like he had passed the first test – the phone conversation with Kamijou Chinatsu-san – but his lover's mother had also made it clear that she wasn't quite used to the idea of them being together yet. And then, of course, there was Hiro-san's father…

The sound of the doorbell roughly shook Nowaki out of his thoughts, startling him so much that he almost dropped the chopsticks he was holding. Soon after the initial surprise, however, a wave of relief washed over him.

_He's home on time…thank God…_

Not bothering to take of his apron – he would get back to preparing dinner soon enough, after all – Nowaki hastily made his way over to the front door, swinging it open with a bright smile on his face.

"Welcome home, Hiro-sa– "

He stopped dead in his tracks, his smile wavering, as he took in the people who were standing before him. Closest to him was a middle-aged woman, who, despite her age, still looked very beautiful. Her hair, wrapped in a bun, showed only a few strands of grew, and her skin looked very smooth. The thing that really took Nowaki by surprise, though, was her resemblance to Hiro-san: her hair was almost exactly the same color and her eyes were also cinnamon, but just a few tones lighter than his lover's. Behind her stood a man with short, dark hair and dark brown eyes, who seemed to be studying Nowaki intently.

There was no doubt about it. These were Hiro-san's parents. Half an hour early.

And Hiro-san still wasn't home.

…_O crap._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: ...Uh...yeah...I guess I just gave you a double cliffhanger. Please don't kill me! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. ^^ Please let me know what you think! And again, Happy Holidays to all of you! :D**


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